Bangladeshi stars secure spots ahead of BPL draft

With the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) players' draft fast approaching, the seven participating franchises have been busy securing key local players ahead of the draft.

The new teams were allowed to make two direct signings, while the existing franchises were permitted to retain two players and add one additional player to their squads.

Let's take a closer look at which Bangladeshi cricketers have already secured spots, either through direct signings or retention, as we gear up for the draft.

Eighteen local players have already been confirmed for the 2024 BPL season. Among the new entrants, Dhaka Capitals have signed Mustafizur Rahman, who played for Comilla Victorians in the previous season. Alongside Mustafizur, the team has also signed young opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim through a direct contract.

Chittagong Kings, another team returning to the league, have brought in national stars Shakib Al Hasan and Shoriful Islam via direct signings. Although Chittagong Kings participated in the earlier seasons of the BPL, this will mark their return to the tournament after a lengthy hiatus, during which a different franchise represented Chittagong.

Fortune Barishal, the reigning champions, have retained their title-winning captain Tamim Iqbal and handed him the leadership duties once again. Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim has also been retained, while Towhid Hridoy has been added through direct signing.

Sylhet Strikers, meanwhile, have opted to release national team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto ahead of the draft, but have retained Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Zakir Hasan. Additionally, they have brought in Jaker Ali Anik through direct signing, completing their pre-draft moves.

Khulna Tigers have retained key players Nasum Ahmed and Afif Hossain Dhrubo. They have further strengthened their squad by adding all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who played a crucial role in Fortune Barishal's title-winning campaign last season, through a direct contract.

Rangpur Riders have confirmed the retention of captain Nurul Hasan Sohan and all-rounder Sheikh Mahedi Hasan. They have also added pacer Mohammad Saifuddin, who played for Barishal in the previous edition, via direct signing.

Lastly, Durbar Rajshahi, another new team in this season's BPL, have retained Enamul Haque Bijoy and secured young batter Jishan Alam through direct signing.

The players' draft for the 11th edition of the BPL is set to take place in Dhaka on 14 October. Each team is allowed to sign between 10 and 14 local players in total, with franchises able to spend up to BDT 4 crore on Bangladeshi cricketers. The BPL governing council has already established base prices for all players participating in the draft.

Here's a look at the seven teams ahead of the draft:

Chittagong Kings  

Direct Contracts: Shakib Al Hasan and Shariful Islam.  

Foreign Direct Contracts: Moeen Ali, Usman Khan, Haider Ali, Angelo Mathews, Mohammad Wasim Junior, and Binura Fernando.

Fortune Barishal  

Direct Contract: Towhid Hridoy.  

Retained: Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim.

Dhaka Capitals  

Direct Contracts: Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzid Hasan Tamim.

Durbar Rajshahi  

Direct Contracts: Enamul Haque Bijoy and Jishan Alam.

Rangpur Riders  

Direct Contract: Mohammad Saifuddin.  

Retained: Nurul Hasan Sohan and Sheikh Mehedi Hasan.

Sylhet Strikers  

Direct Contract: Zakir Ali Anik.  

Retained: Tanzim Hasan Shakib and Zakir Hasan.

Khulna Tigers  

Direct Contract: Mehedi Hasan Miraz.  

Retained: Afif Hossain Dhruv and Nasum Ahmed.