Rajshahi snap up Fizz

Bangladesh's fast bowling sensation Mustafizur Rahman's destination was the only anticipated part of the players' draft for the fifth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League and was the highlight of the programme at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel yesterday. And the Rajshahi Kings managed to steal away the left-arm seamer for 45 lakhs in the very first call for the A plus category.

The presence of Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene, the head coach of Khulna Titans, and defending champions Dhaka Dynamites icon player Shakib Al Hasan in the franchise table also drew attention.

However, the excitement surrounding the occasion was diminished as all the franchises had already retained four local players from the previous edition while also roping in foreign recruits from outside the draft.

Each franchise had to select a minimum seven local and two foreign players from the draft. Through lottery, last year's runners-up Rajshahi had the fortune of selecting both their foreign and local recruits first and their decision to pick uncapped Pakistani leg-spinner Usama Mir surprised Raza Ali Dar, among others.

This season Tigers' Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim was named the icon player for Rajshahi, who also roped in young talents in the form of wicket-keeper batsman Zakir Hossain and left arm spinner Nuhad Uz Zaman. They also retained Mehedi Hasan, Mominul Haque and Forhad Reza and look to be a solid side on paper alongside Dhaka Dynamites.

Left-arm pacer Abu Haider was swooped up by Dhaka as the second overall pick from the draft where they also opted for Jahurul Islam, Nadif Chowdhury, Saqlain Sajib and Shadman Islam. The star-studded team also got English batsman Joe Denly and West Indian left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein while retaining Mosaddek Hossain, Mehedi Maruf and pacer Mohammad Shahid.

Dhaka have an army of top class foreign players with the likes of Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara, Australian all-rounder Shane Watson, the Pakistani duo of Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Amir, and West Indies' Kevin Cooper, Evin Lewis and Sunil Narine.

Meanwhile, Mahmudullah's Khulna went for left-handed batsman Nazmul Hossain Shanto as their first pick along with pacer Abu Jayed, Afif Hossain, who registered a hattrick on debut for Rajshahi last year, and Under-19 skipper Saif Hasan to form a good unit.

Rangpur Riders took Shahriar Nafees with their first call and also picked veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak. ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was Rangpur's icon player and the team retained Mohammad Mithun, Rubel Hossain and Sohag Gazi. As for their foreign quota, Rangpur picked two Afghan cricketers, all-rounder Sami Ullah Shenwari and left-arm chinaman Zahir Khan alongside English batsman Sam Hain. They also have big-hitter Chris Gayle teaming up with Ravi Bopara and the Lankan duo of Thisara Perera and Kausal Perera.

Comilla Victorians snapped up Tamim Iqbal as icon player and pacer Al-Amin Hossain while Chittagong Vikings, who have Soumya Sarkar as their icon, went for left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam. Lastly, newcomers Sylhet Sixers took local pacer Abul Hasan the first time around with their icon player Sabbir Rahman in the line-up.