BPL Draft: Taskin Ahmed, Mahmudullah Headline First-Round Picks

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) draft for the 2024-25 season witnessed a flurry of activity as teams eagerly snapped up top-tier talent. Taskin Ahmed, the seasoned fast bowler, emerged as the first overall pick, joining the newly formed Durbar Rajshahi franchise. Defending champions Fortune Barishal opted for Mahmudullah, the recently retired T20I star, with the seventh pick.

Other notable first-round selections included fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud (Khulna Tigers) and Nahid Rana (Rangpur Riders), as well as established batters Litton Das (Dhaka Capitals), Shamim Hossain (Chittagong Kings), and Rony Talukdar (Sylhet Strikers).

Despite their Category A status, legspinner Rishad Hossain and T20I captain Najmul Hossain Shanto went unpicked in the first round. However, Barishal later acquired both players with the 15th and 43rd overall picks, respectively. Shanto's recent form has been underwhelming, while Rishad's availability remains uncertain due to his BBL contract with the Hobart Hurricanes.

Sylhet Strikers, who retained several key players from last season, added veteran all-rounder Mashrafe Mortaza to their ranks. They also secured the services of overseas stars Reece Topley, Rahkeem Cornwall, and Samiullah Shenwari.

Barishal, the defending champions, retained Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim while directly signing a host of international players, including Dawid Malan, Kyle Mayers, Mohammad Nabi, and Faheem Ashraf. They also picked up Sri Lankan batter Pathum Nissanka, who will be available for a limited period during the BPL.

Pakistani cricketers Saim Ayub, Akif Javed, and Mohammad Hasnain were among the first overseas players selected, followed by James Fuller (Barishal) and Graham Clark (Chittagong).

Uncapped Bangladeshi players also made their mark in the draft, with Nahid Rana, Habibur Rahman Sohan, and Jishan Alam being early picks.

The BPL teams have until the tournament's scheduled start date of December 27 to continue signing players directly. The new season will feature a mix of established franchises (Barishal, Khulna, Sylhet, and Rangpur) and new entrants (Dhaka, Chittagong, and Rajshahi).

Tags: #BPLDraft, #TaskinAhmed, #Mahmudullah, #FortuneBarishal, #DurbarRajshahi