Demand high for Mahmudullah, Sabbir

Bangladesh Premier League will start on November 4 but the first bit of excitement comes on September 30 when the players' draft will be held in Dhaka.



Bangladesh Premier League will start on November 4 but the first bit of excitement comes on September 30 when the players’ draft will be held in Dhaka.
The likes of Shakib al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mashrafe bin Mortaza will be the centre of attraction for the franchisees but there are a handful of local players who will have great value and interest among the franchises.
These include some established names and young performers who did well in the 2015 BPL as well as in the international T20s and in the Dhaka Premier League.
Dhaka Tribune looks at the top five players who will be much sought after by the franchises:

Mahmudullah, allrounder


He was the first pick among the icon players in the last BPL draft. The fourth highest run-getter in last year’s BPL, Mahmudullah guided Barisal Bulls to the final but ended up being the runners-up behind Comilla Victorians. He scored 278 runs in 13 matches at an exact 100 strike-rate.He led his side from the front throughout the tournament and once again he will be the top choice for most of the franchises dueto his his ability to perform. He will be one of the most valuable players ahead of the tournament.

Sabbir Rahman, batsman


The dashing right-hander has all the quality of a perfect T20 cricketer. Sabbir displayed some power cricket to guide Barisal Bulls to the final scoring a match winning 79 off just 49 balls against Rangpur Riders in the second qualifier. Sabbir who is a magnificent fielder can also bowl handy leg spin whenever the situation demands.

Al Amin Hossain, pace bowler

The absence of fast bowling sensation Mustafizur Rahman could cause another Tigers pacer Al Amin Hossain to be the most wanted fast bowler in the players draft. The right-arm paceman had a terrific time with the ball for Barisal Bulls picking up 17 wickets in 13 games at an economy of 7.93 including a hat-trick against Sylhet Superstars. The 26 year old will look to continue his performance. No doubt Al Amin will be the first choice for any franchisee in the fourth edition of the BPL.

Abu Haider, left-arm pace bowler


He has been the biggest find in the third edition of the BPL. Young Haider was the highest wicket-taker among the Bangladeshi bowlers, with 21 scalps from 12 games for Comilla. He was just one wicket behind the top wicket taker Kevon Cooper.
The twenty-year old was the emerging player of the tournament and his side will surely look to retain their best performer of the previous season in the players draft.

Mosharraf Hossain, left-arm spinner


One of the most experienced cricketer in the domestic circuit, Mosharraf has been in fine since the BPL’s third edition. The left-arm spinner bagged 16 wickets in 10 matches for Dhaka Dynamites. He is also a handy batsman lower down the order. The 34 year old was recently included in the 20-member Bangladesh ODI pool for the upcoming Afghanistan and England series and he can play a vital role in the upcoming BPL, making him a sought-after buy among the franchises.