The opening match of the "Ispahani Presents ESDM Premier League (EPL–26)" took place in a celebratory setting at Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU). This year's league is jointly sponsored by the ESDM Club, Agrani Bank PLC, and Deshbandhu Group.
The tournament was officially launched on Thursday (4 December) at 10 a.m. at the university's main playground. Professor Md. Abdul Latif, the Treasurer of PSTU, was the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony. Other notable attendees included Professor Dr. Md. Nurul Amin, Professor Dr. Md. Shamsuzzoha, Professor Dr. Raman Kumar Biswas, Associate Professor Md. Faisal, Associate Professor Papri Hazra, Assistant Professor Dr. Tarikul Islam Sajib, Assistant Professor Md. Rasheduzzaman, and Assistant Professor Mousa Nusrat Binte Nur. The event was chaired by Professor Dr. Md. Mohsin Hossain Khan, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Science and Disaster Management.
In his address, Professor Dr. Mohsin Hossain Khan remarked, "In addition to academic pursuits, sports are vital for the mental and physical growth of students." He also highlighted the importance of fostering a friendly atmosphere throughout the tournament.
Chief guest Professor Md. Abdul Latif expressed, "I am thrilled to be here for the opening match of EPL–2026. Sports cultivate teamwork, leadership skills, and discipline among students. I wish for this tournament to achieve great success." In the inaugural match, the Disaster Resilience and Engineering team competed against the Environmental Science Department. After winning the toss, Disaster Resilience and Engineering opted to bat first, accumulating 93 runs in the designated 10 overs. In response, the Environmental Science Department successfully chased the target, scoring 97 runs with 3 overs remaining, thus achieving a significant 10-wicket victory.
