Bringing together expatriate Bangladeshi cricketers and amateur cricket clubs from around the world, the inaugural Expat World Cup Cricket 2027 will be held next year, featuring clubs from 30 countries. The tournament will kick off in Australia, with matches scheduled across several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Bangladesh, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Malaysia.
The final will take place in the UAE, where Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is expected to attend a grand gala night as a special guest.
The tournament was officially announced by organiser AB Media Group at a ceremony at The Westin Dhaka on Thursday, marked by a cake-cutting event and the unveiling of the trophy.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque attended the event as the chief guest. He said the initiative could play a significant role in strengthening Bangladesh’s sports diplomacy.
“This is a wonderful initiative for expatriates. Such an event will be an encouraging gesture for those who send remittances to our country. Bringing cricket clubs from 30 countries together will create new hope and enthusiasm among expatriates. Through sports diplomacy, we can further strengthen Bangladesh’s relations with countries around the world,” he said.
AB Media Group Chief Executive Officer Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan said one of the tournament’s key objectives was to use the opportunities created by international connections to develop young people into skilled workers and generate overseas employment opportunities.
The group’s founder and Managing Director Nirjon Mosarraf expressed gratitude to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for assuring the organisers of its fullest cooperation in staging the tournament.
Also speaking at the event were BCB director Rafiqul Islam Babu; former Bangladesh captain and current chief selector Habibul Bashar; Mehrab Hossain Opi, Bangladesh’s first ODI centurion; former national team opener Javed Omar Belim; Member of Parliament Sanjida Islam Tuli; and Bangladesh women’s cricketer Jannatul Sumona.
The inaugural edition of the Expat World Cup Cricket 2027 is set to feature clubs from 30 countries, including Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, China, Malaysia, Oman, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Afghanistan, Scotland, Germany, Singapore, the Maldives, the Netherlands, the UAE, Qatar, Japan and Bangladesh.