Ctg, Sylhet and Rangpur fill up out of draft quota
DHAKA AND RANGPUR NAME MASHRAFE AND NABI AS CAPTAINS
SPORTS REPORTER, Dhaka
Chattogram Challengers has inked a deal with Pakistan young pacer Mohammed Musa for the looming Bangabandhu-Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), which kicks off December 11.
Challengers team director Jalal Younus confirmed Musas inclusion in their contingent to media yesterday.
The BPL Chattogram team filled up their quota of out of the draft players with the recruitment of this young fast-bowler, who made his Twenty20 and Test debut during the Pakistans ongoing tour in Australia. They, earlier, roped in West Indies Lendl Simmons as an out of draft player.
On the other hand, Sylhet Thunders penned papers with another Pakistan pacer Mohammad Sami.
With the two latest signings, the two teams, Challengers and Thunders, also fulfilled the quota of adding two players that each team can buy outside the players draft. They are the second and the third team after Rajshahi Royals who recruited two players outside of the BPL players draft as the first team.
Before Musas signing, Chattogram roped in West Indies opening batsman Lendl Simmons while Sylhet Thunders bought West Indies fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell before announcing Mohammad Sami as their latest arrival.
But the Challengers are searching for alternative to Chris Gayle, who has been sidelined for four weeks with hamstring injury, will be available for BPL after January 4. If they pick him, he could be played three matches before the play-off.
Regarding Gayle, Jalal Younus said they are yet to decide whether they will pick him or not for these matches only. But Chris Gayle is not only a player but also a brand value of a team and the tournament as well.
We will take their final decision within the next two-three days because there is a matter of budget. For him, we have to pick another player. Weve started searching for a player after being formed BPL Governing Council about their first drafted player (Gayle), Jalal said at his Banani office in the capital.
Were searching for a middle-order batsman. For this, were trying to rope in Nicolas Pooran of West Indies, he added.
Rangpur Rangers is also in talks with Ahmed Shehzad after Shai Hope non-availability for the entire BPL. Hope was picked by Rangers from the Players draft but he could be played for them only for a week. Habibul Bashar Sumon told about the matter before flying to Nepal with the U-23 team for the ensuing South Asian Games.
In the meantime, Rangpur Rangers announced Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi as their skipper for the upcoming BPL. It was predicted that Dhaka Platoon picked Mashrafe Bin Mortaza from the players draft to make him as their captain.
As a mercurial captain, Mashrafe has a record of winning four BPL title in his pouch.
