The third edition of the Bangladesh Premier League is going to start from November 22nd this year with six teams, namely-Dhaka Dynamites, Chittagong Vikings, Rangpur Riders, Comilla Victorians, Barisal Bulls and Sylhet Superstars.
The Players Draft was held today at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel Dhaka amidst huge excitement. Through this event, the Third Edition of BPL officially headed towards a launch.
BCB President Nazmul Hassan explained about why the 'Player Draft' was introduced. He said, "It is to avoid an uneven competition between the teams and to avoid payment issues created with the players." He expressed his gratitude towards Mustafa Kamal, ex-President of BCB and ICC, for coming up with the idea of organizing Bangladesh Premier League.
The Draft was chaired by Nazmul Hasan, Mahbub Anam, Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, Sheikh Shohel, Jalal Yunus, Ismail Haider Mollick and Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan. Mahbub Anam, Vice-President of BCB, played the role of the Draft Commissioner in today's event and Jalal Yunus, Head of Media & Communications Department of BCB, will be the Head of Technical Committee in BPL 2015.
At the start of the Player Draft, the first two see-offs were big enough, with Rangpur Riders taking in Soumya Sarker and Dhaka Dynamites deciding on Mustafizur Rahman. The first round was quite an exciting one indeed, as Anamul Haque headed towards Chittagong Vikings, Barisal Bulls took Sabbir Rahman, Comilla Victorians going for Liton Kumar Das and the final selection from Sylhet Superstars ended with an intake of Rubel Hossain.
What created the second-most excitement was the lottery process in selecting which Franchise would make the fist call and then proceed accordingly. Rangpur Riders came out to be very lucky throughout the process.
Dhaka Dynamites took some of the sensational local names apart from Mustafizur Rahman. Mosaddek Hossain, Shamsur Rahman, Shykat Ali and Irfan Sukkur are the current sensations who have displayed tremendous batting displays in the running NCL matches. Adding to these locals, the veteran Kumar Sangakkara is with the team to disseminate his experience and set of skills. The tall Mohammad Irfan and the skilled leg spinner Yasir Shah are also in the team to strengthen the bowling department.
SL. No.
|
Name of the Player
|
Country
|
Playing Role
|
1
|
Nasir Hossain
|
Bangladesh
|
All Rounder
|
2
|
MD. Mustafizur Rahman
|
Bangladesh
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
3
|
Khandaker Musharraf Hossain (Rubel)
|
Bangladesh
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
4
|
Mosaddek Hossain Saikat
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
5
|
Shamsur Rahman
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
6
|
MD. Shykat Ali
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
7
|
Farhad Reza
|
Bangladesh
|
All Rounder
|
8
|
Nabil Samad
|
Bangladesh
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
9
|
MD. Abul Hasan Raju
|
Bangladesh
|
All Rounder
|
10
|
Irfan Shukkur (WK)
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
11
|
Sohail Khan
|
Pakistan
|
Bowler
|
12
|
David Mallan
|
England
|
Batsman
|
13
|
Shahzaib Hasan
|
Pakistan
|
Batsman
|
14
|
Kumar Sangakara
|
Sri Lanka
|
WK Keeper
|
15
|
Mohammad Irfan
|
Pakistan
|
Bowler
|
16
|
Rayn Ten Doeschate
|
Netherlands
|
All Rounder
|
17
|
Nasir Jamshed
|
Pakistan
|
Batsman
|
18
|
Yasir Shah
|
Pakistan
|
Bowler
|
Chittagong Vikings have the T20 specialists Ziaur Rahman and Naeem Isam in their side. Adding to them, the Akmal brothers will definitely add great values to the batting, and not to mention that their bowling unit has got great varieties, with Taskin's pace and Amir's controlled bowling and the unit's strength enhances greatly with the presence of Saeed Ajmal.
SL. No.
|
Name of the Player
|
Country
|
Playing Role
|
1
|
Tamim Iqbal Khan
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
2
|
Anamul Haque Bijoy ( WK)
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
3
|
Taskin Ahmed
|
Bangladesh
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
4
|
Ziaur Rahman
|
Bangladesh
|
All Rounder
|
5
|
MD. Elias Sunny
|
Bangladesh
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
6
|
Naeem Islam
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
7
|
Enamul Haque (Jr.)
|
Bangladesh
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
8
|
Yasir Ali Chowdhury
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
9
|
MD. Shafiul Islam
|
Bangladesh
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
10
|
Asif Ahmed Ratul
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
11
|
Nafees Iqbal Khan
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
12
|
Jeevan Mendis
|
Sri Lanka
|
All Rounder
|
13
|
Sayeed Azmal
|
Pakistan
|
Spinner
|
14
|
Robin Petersen
|
South Africa
|
Bowler
|
15
|
Umar Akmal
|
Pakistan
|
Batsman
|
16
|
Kamran Akmal
|
Pakistan
|
WK Keeper
|
17
|
Elton Chigambura
|
Zimbabwe
|
All Rounder
|
18
|
Chamara Kapugedara
|
Sri Lanka
|
Batsman
|
19
|
Mohammad Amer
|
Pakistan
|
Bowler
|
A good local bowling attack will definitely make Sylhet Superstars a team to watch out. Shahid Afridi himself is the big signing for Sylhet, who alone can change the course of a match with either the bat or the ball! Ravi Bopara's batting will deifnitely add force to the unit to a good extent.
SL. No.
|
Name of the Player
|
Country
|
Playing Role
|
1
|
Mushfiqur Rahim (WK)
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
2
|
Rubel Hossain
|
Bangladesh
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
3
|
Mominul Haque Shawrab
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
4
|
Abdur Razzak
|
Bangladesh
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
5
|
Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan (WK)
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
6
|
Mohammad Shahid
|
Bangladesh
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
7
|
Najmul Hossain Apu
|
Bangladesh
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
8
|
Junaid Siddique
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
9
|
Nazmul Hossain Milon
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman
|
10
|
Abu Sayem Chowdhury
|
Bangladesh
|
Batsman/WK
|
11
|
Chris Jordan
|
England
|
All Rounder
|
12
|
Joshua Cobb
|
England
|
Batsman
|
13
|
Sohail Tanveer
|
Pakistan
|
Fast Bowler
|
14
|
Shahid Afridi
|
Pakistan
|
All Rounder
|
15
|
Robi Bopara
|
England
|
Batsman
|
16
|
Brad Hogg
|
Australia
|
Bowler
|
17
|
Ajantha Mendis
|
Sri Lanka
|
Bowler
|
Barisal formed a quite balanced team, with some good local additions to the batting unit, but they have one name in their squad who is equal to the rest of the batsmen! Christopher Henry Gayle needs no introduction at all, and Brendan Taylor is a great addition to the side too.
SL. No.
|
Name of the Player
|
Country
|
Playing Role
|
1
|
MD. Mahmudullah
|
Batsman
|
Batsman
|
2
|
MD. Shabbir Rahman Roman
|
Batsman
|
Batsman
|
3
|
MD. Al-Amin Hossain
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
4
|
Shohag Gazi
|
All Rounder
|
All Rounder
|
5
|
Taijul Islam
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
6
|
Shahriar Nafees Ahmed
|
Batsman
|
Batsman
|
7
|
Mehedi Maruf
|
Batsman
|
Batsman
|
8
|
Nadif Chowdhury
|
Batsman
|
Batsman
|
9
|
Rony Talukder
|
Batsman
|
Batsman
|
10
|
Mohammad Sharifullah
|
All Rounder
|
All Rounder
|
11
|
Sajedul Islam
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
12
|
Sekkuge Prasanna
|
Sri Lanka
|
All rounder
|
13
|
Mohammad Sami
|
Pakistan
|
Fast Bowler
|
14
|
Imad Wasim
|
Pakistan
|
All Rounder
|
15
|
Kevon Kuper
|
West Indies
|
All Rounder
|
16
|
Chris Gayle
|
West Indies
|
Batsman
|
17
|
Evin Lewis
|
West Indies
|
Bowler
|
18
|
Brandon Taylor
|
Zimbabwe
|
Batsman
|
Soumya Sarker, Mohammad Mithun, Muktar Ali-all these batsmen have proven their skills very well, and are definitely vital additions to Rangpur Riders. Adding to these proven locals, the ability of Sammy, Dilshan, Perera and Simmons need not be explained in any details, as they line up to strengthen the batting order of the side with Afghan skipper Nabi also making it to the side. Sunny, Sajib and with then Senanayeke and Wahab Riaz are tremendous add-ons to the team's bowling unit.
SL. No.
|
Name of the Player
|
Country
|
Playing Role
|
1
|
Shakib Al Hasan
|
All Rounder
|
ICON
|
2
|
Soumya Sarker
|
Batsman
|
A
|
3
|
Arafat Sunny
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
A
|
4
|
Md. Mithun (WK)
|
Batsman
|
A
|
5
|
Muktar Ali
|
All Rounder
|
B
|
6
|
Saklain Sojib
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
B
|
7
|
Jahurul Islam (WK)
|
Batsman
|
B
|
8
|
Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
C
|
9
|
Mohammad Murad Khan
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
D
|
10
|
Rasel Al Mamun*
|
All Rounder (Off Spin)
|
D
|
11
|
Sachitra senanayake
|
Sri Lanka
|
Bowler
|
12
|
Mohammad Nabi
|
Afganistan
|
All Rounder
|
13
|
Wahab Riaz
|
Pakistan
|
Fast Bowler
|
14
|
Darren Sammy
|
West Indies
|
All Rounder
|
15
|
Tilakaratne Dilshan
|
Sri Lanka
|
Batsman
|
16
|
Thesara Perera
|
Sri Lanka
|
All Rounder
|
17
|
Lendl Simmons
|
West Indies
|
Batsman
|
Hom can be destructive in his good days, and Imrul Kayes can pick up length deliveries pretty well to disperse the balls off outside the ropes. But the strength of the side is enhanced tremendously by additions of Andre Russell, Shoaib Malik, Marlon Samuels and Ahmed Shehzad. The bowling unit will be very confident with the presence of Sunil Narine in the side. kamrul Islam Rabbi is a great find for Bangladesh, and BPL will be a great platform for him to display his temperament.
SL. No.
|
Name of the Player
|
Country
|
Playing Role
|
1
|
Masrafe Bin Mortaza
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
ICON
|
2
|
Liton Kumar Das (WK)
|
Batsman
|
A
|
3
|
Imrul Kayes
|
Batsman
|
A
|
4
|
Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury
|
Batsman
|
A
|
5
|
Sanjamul Islam
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
B
|
6
|
Kamrul Islam Rabbi
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
B
|
7
|
Ariful Haque
|
All Rounder
|
B
|
8
|
Mahmudul Hasan Limon
|
All Rounder
|
B
|
9
|
MD. Nayeem Islam (jr.)
|
Spinner/Left Arm
|
C
|
10
|
Abu Haider Rony
|
Bowler/Pacer
|
C
|
11
|
Dhiman Ghosh (WK)
|
Batsman
|
C
|
12
|
Darren Stevens
|
England
|
All Rounder
|
13
|
Nuwan Kulasekara
|
Sri Lanka
|
Bowler
|
14
|
Andre Russel
|
West Indies
|
All Rounder
|
15
|
Lahiru Thirimanne
|
Sri Lanka
|
Batsman
|
16
|
Shoib Malik
|
Pakistan
|
All Rounder
|
17
|
Marlon Samuels
|
West Indies
|
Batsman
|
18
|
Sunil Narine
|
West Indies
|
Bowler
|
19
|
Ahmed Shehzad
|
Pakistan
|
Batsman
|
20
|
Krishmar Santokie
|
West Indies
|
Bowler
|
The segment that produced the most excitement was the last segment-lottery round of the ICON Players' Draft. Yet again Rangpur came out lucky enough to be the first team to call, and to everyone's expectation, Shakib Al Hasan was called in. Comilla Victorians came out second and who else but Mashrafe Bin Mortaza can be a great addition to any side. Barisal Bulls called in Mahmudullah Riad and how lucky Tamim Iqbal can be to be able to play for his home team and that too alongside his brother, as he get into Chittagong Vikings. Sylhet Superstars happily called in Mushfiqur Rahim in the side and Dhaka Dynamites got a dynamic performer like Nasir Hossain to play for them.
