BPL 2019-20 | Mashrafe Mortaza survives scare, picked up by Dhaka Platoons in fourth round
Dhaka Platoons turned the saviours of Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Mortaza as they picked him up in the fourth round of the Bangladesh Premier League draft. Among other A+ category players, Mushfiqur was picked up by Khulna, Comilla opted for Soumya while Chattogram picked up Mahmudullah.
The player’s draft for the upcoming season of the Bangladesh Premier League was held on Sunday (November 17) where as many as 620 players. The teams had to choose at least nine local players and six foreign players of the lot which comprised of 181 Bangladeshis and 439 foreign players.
Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Mortaza was left unpicked until the fourth round of the draft until Dhaka Platoons scooped him up in the fourth round as they proved to be the veteran pacer’s saviours. Mortaza was Dhaka’s second A+ player as they went for opener Tamim Iqbal first.
“Basically we did not have the chance to call him earlier. Because we could call only one player from A+ category and we picked Tamim earlier," said Dhaka coach Mohammad Salahuddin after the draft "I feel T20 is a game of experienced cricketers because you have to take decision in a split second. Those who are experienced can take those decisions better because I won't play inside the ground. The more experienced heads you have the better it is for the team," added Salahuddin, who also picked Shahid Afridi in his squad.
Earlier it was stated that no one could pick two players from the A+ category before BPL draft commissioner Mahbub Anam came up with a special ordinance.
"If anyone wants to buy two players from the draft then the sponsors will have to pay the extra money of the A+ category player," said Mahbub. Mushfiqur Rahim was the first player to be picked in the draft by Khulna Tigers and when it came for Dhaka to make the call they went after Tamim. Chattogram Challengers picked national Twenty20 captain Mahmudullah while Rangpur picked Mustafizur Rahman.
Among the other Bangladesh internationals, Liton Das was roped in by Rajshahi, Comilla went for Soumya Sarkar while Sylhet picked up Mosaddek Hossain. Chris Gayle was the first foreign player to be picked when Chattogram opted for him. Rajshahi and Rangpur followed by calling for Ravi Bopara and Mohammad Nabi respectively while the draft ended with Dhaka picking Pakistan's Afridi as the last player.
This edition of the BPL is a special one as the BCB opted to make it a special edition marking the birth centenary of country's founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman while also taking the ownership of the franchises. The tournament is scheduled to kick off on December 11.
