Shakib, Fizz maintain status quo
Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman were the only Bangladeshi players that demanded attention at the players' auction for the Indian Premier League on Thursday.
The Tigers' dependable wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim had thrown his name in the hat at the eleventh hour, but failed to garner any bidders. Bangladesh's T20I captain Mahdullah Riyad also failed to attract bids, as did all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin.
The BCCI informed teams the day prior to the draft that players from all countries barring Bangladesh would be available for the entirety of the tournament, which perhaps was why no team was willing to risk a spot in their squad.
There was a small bidding war over Shakib, who missed the previous edition of the IPL due to a one-year ban imposed on him by the ICC for failing to report corrupt approaches from a bookie.
The left-hander's value rocketed from a base price of two crore rupees as Kings XI Punjab attempted to snap up the all-rounder with a bid of 2.6 crores. However, Kolkata Knight Riders, with whom Shakib had won the title in both 2012 and 2014, prevailed in that mini-bout by roping in the southpaw for 3.2 crore rupees.
Mustafizur, another Bangladeshi who has lifted the IPL trophy, was sold for his base price of one crore rupees to the Rajasthan Royals, the third team that he will represent in the tournament.
The left-arm pacer struck gold in his first stint in the IPL in 2016 after being drafted by the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He took 17 wickets in 16 matches and became the first foreign player to win 'Emerging Player of the Tournament'.
However, his stock has plummeted since, with the mystique around his bowling fading as the spotlight got brighter. He also represented Mumbai Indians in the 2018 IPL, scalping seven wickets in as many matches.
A total of 1,097 players initially registered for the auction, of which 292 were selected, including 125 overseas players and three players from associate nations.
The 2021 IPL will be held in India between April and May, although no dates have been confirmed yet.
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