Wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim on Sunday (September 24) was picked by Fortune Barishal in the Bangladesh Premier League’s players auction for the upcoming edition of the tournament, scheduled in January 2024.
Earlier, Cricbuzz reported Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal had already changed their respective franchises ahead of the players’ auction and all eyes were fixed on Mushfiqur. His previous franchise Sylhet Sixers did not retain him and none of the other franchises showed interest in picking him as a direct signing despite having the opportunity to do so. Rangpur Riders and Fortune Barishal used that option to get the services of Shakib and Tamim respectively for the forthcoming season.
With this scenario in place, the spotlight was on Mushfiqur who was the only local player belonging to Category A with a price cap of TK 80 Lakh, and his friend Tamim did not waste the opportunity to go after him.
Rangpur Riders got the first chance to pick a player from the draft and they went for their trusted opener Rony Talukdar, who scored massively for them in the last edition of BPL.
Former Bangladesh Test skipper Mominul Haque and batter Sabbir Rahman were notable players who were overlooked by the franchises in the player’s draft on Sunday.
Mominul was allocated to Category C with a price cap of Tk 30 Lakh and Sabbir Rahman from Category E which had a price cap of Tk 15 Lakh but no teams showed any interest in roping them.
Defending champions Comilla Victorians head coach Mohammad Salahuddin said they are confident to defend the title with the squad they have that includes several leading local and foreign cricketers.
“We have a very balanced side and we are hopeful to defend the title,” said Salahuddin adding that he is happy to pick Rahkeem Cornwall from the draft as he will bring balance in the squad.
“He (Cornwall) will certainly bring balance in our squad and we are delighted to get him in the player’s auction,” added Salahuddin.
There are several Pakistani cricketers picked by different franchises for the forthcoming edition of BPL and several franchise owners told Cricbuzz that they are expecting to get their services considering that the players might be free. The reason being that the Pakistan Super League might not start on due time as there is election in January.
“The Pakistani players might be available for quite some time in BPL if PSL is shifted for election as we know though there is such kind of suggestions the PSL franchises are against it,” said an official of a franchise.
BPL 2024 Players list
Comilla Victorians
Retention Players: Liton Das, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanvir Islam (local), Mohammad Rizwan and Sunil Narine (foreign)
Direct Signing Players: Tawhid Hridoy (local), Moeen Ali, Andrew Russell, Iftikhar Ahmad, Zaman Khan, Khushdil Shah, Johnson Charles, Noor Ahmad, Naseem Shah and Rashid Khan (foreign)
Players from Draft: Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Jaker Ali Anik, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Rishad Hossain, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiq Hasan, Md Anamul Haque (local), Rahkeem Cornwall and Matthew Walter Forde (foreign)
Durdanto Dhaka
Retention Players: Taskin Ahmed, Arafat Sunny and Shoriful Islam
Direct Signing Players: Mosaddek Hossain (local), Chaturanga De Silva, Saim Ayub and Usman Kadir (foreign)
Players from Draft: Saif Hassan, Irfan Shukkur, Alauddin Babu, SM Mehrob Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Md Sabbir Hossain, Jasim Uddin (local), Lahiru Samarakoon and Sadeera Samarawickrama (foreign)
Chattogram Challengers
Retention Players: Shuvagata Hom, Ziaur Rahman and Nihaduzzaman
Direct Signing Players: Shohidul Islam (local), Mohammad Haris, Nazibullah Zadran, Mohammad Hasnain and Stephen Eskinazi (foreign)
Players from Draft:Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Md Al Amin Hossain, Md Shykat Ali, Imranuzzaman, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Salauddin Shakil (local), Curtis Campher and Bilal Khan (foreign)
Khulna Tigers
Retention Players: Nasum Ahmed, Nahidul Islam and Mahmudul Hasan Joy
Direct Signing Players: Anamul Haque Bijoy (local), Evin Lewis, Faheem Ashraf, Dhananjaya De Silva and Shai Hope (foreign)
Players from Draft: Afif Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Habibur Rahman Sohan, Mukidul Islam Mugdho, Akbar Ali, Sumon Khan (local), Kasun Rajitha and Dasun Shanaka (foreign)
Rangpur Riders
Retention Players: Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud (local), Azmatullah Omarzai and Nicholas Pooran (foreign)
Direct Signing Players: Shakib Al Hasan (local), Babar Azam, Ihsanullah, Matheesha Pathirana, Brandon King and Wanindu Hasaranga (foreign)
Players from Draft: Rony Talukdar, Shamim Hossain, Ripon Mondol, Hasan Murad, Abu Haider Rony, Fazle Mahmud Rabbi, Ashikuzzaman (local), Michael Rippon and Yasir Mohammad (foreign)
Fortune Barishal
Retention Players: Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Khaled Ahmed (local) and Ibrahim Zadran (foreign)
Direct Signing Players: Tamim Iqbal (local), Shoaib Malik, Paul Starling, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammed Amir, Abbas Afridi and Dunith Wellalage (foreign)
Players from Draft: Mushfiqur Rahim, Rakibul Hasan Jr, Mohammad Saifuddin, Soumya Sarkar, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Pritom Kumar, Taijul Islam, Prantik Nawrose Nabil (local), Yannic Cariah and Dinesh Chandimal (foreign)
Sylhet Strikers
Retention Players: Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Zakir Hasan and Tanzim Hasan Sakib
Direct Signing Players: Najmul Hossain Shanto (local), Ryan Burl, George Scrimshaw, Harry Tector, Ben Cutting and Samit Patel (foreign)
Players from Draft: Mohammad Mithun, Rejaur Rahman Raza, Ariful Haque, Yasir Ali, Nazmul Islam Apu, Shafiqul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Jawad Rowen, Salman Hossain (local), Richard Ngarava and Dushan Hemantha (foreign)
