Tragedy before toss in Bangladesh: Dhaka Capitals Assistant Coach Zaki collapses and dies on field in Sylhet

Zaki, 59, was supervising the team’s warm-up session ahead of their match against the Rajshahi Warriors when he suddenly collapsed, The Daily Star reported.

He was immediately given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the field and later rushed to a nearby hospital by ambulance. However, doctors were unable to save him.

The team’s chief executive officer, Atik Fahad, later confirmed Zaki’s death to The Daily Star.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) expressed deep grief over his passing in a post on X.

“The Bangladesh Cricket Board deeply mourns the passing of Mahbub Ali Zaki (59), Specialist Pace Bowling Coach of the BCB Game Development Department and Assistant Coach of Dhaka Capitals in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 2026,” the board said.

The BCB added that Zaki passed away at around 1:00 pm on Friday, December 27, 2025, in Sylhet.

Dhaka Capitals also paid tribute to their assistant coach in an Instagram post, stating that the players observed a minute’s silence in his memory.

“It is with deep sorrow that we announce that, following the death of a beloved assistant coach of the Dhaka Capitals family, all the players observed a minute of silence today,” the franchise wrote.