10 overseas players to watch out for in Bangladesh Premier League 2016

Bangladesh Premier League, the franchise professional T20 tournament will enter its 4th season on November 4th. Over a period of 35 days, a total of 46 games will be played amongst 7 teams. This season will feature two new teams, Khulna Titans, and Rajshahi Kings after the suspension of Sylhet Super Stars. The fascinating aspect of such leagues is the inclusion of players from around the world along with the domestic players. The overseas players add spice to the charm of the tournament. Barring India, the league will have players from all the regular cricket playing nations. A lot of overseas teams have struggled in Bangladesh in the last couple of years. The players from abroad find it extremely difficult to adjust to the slow and low paced wickets in the country. Hence it will be a great opportunity for them to get a feel of the conditions in Bangladesh. Here is a look at the top 10 overseas players to watch out for in the league: 10. Mohammad Shahzad: Mohammad Shahzad of Afghanistan. (Photo by Christopher Lee-IDI/IDI via Getty Images) The dynamic wicket-keeper batsman from Afghanistan will appear in the league for the first time. He idolizes India’s captain of the limited-overs side MS Dhoni and loves to imitate his helicopter shot. He has shown his hard hitting abilities plenty of times. He holds the record for the most number of man of the match awards in international T20s by an associate player and also has the most 50 plus scores by an associate member. If he plays to the best of his abilities, he could turn out to be a great prospect for the Rangpur Riders team. 9. Lendl Simmons: Lendl Simmons. (Photo By Randy Brooks/Sportsfile via Getty Images) The right-handed batsman from West Indies has been playing in several T20 leagues across the globe and has earned the reputation of being a T20 specialist. He specializes in batting top of the order and has the ability to maneuver his strike rate according to the match situation. He played in the last season for Rangpur Riders and in 10 matches, he scored 221 runs with 73 being his highest score. This year, he will represent the new franchise Khulna Titans. With the experience of playing in the league in the past, he would a key player for his side. 8. Sohail Tanvir: Sohail Tanvir. (Photo By: Ashley Allen/Sportsfile via Getty Images) The left-arm fast bowler has been in and out of the Pakistan squad for quite some time but has been active in the T20 circuit. He has been a part of the BPL since 2012 and has represented the franchisees Sylhet Royals and Sylhet Super Stars. He has played 15 BPL games and has picked up 14 wickets at an excellent economy rate of 6.24. This season, he will wear the colors of the defending champions Comilla Victorians and their chances of the title defense will be boosted by the presence of Tanvir. 7. Umar Akmal: Umar Akmal. (Photo by Richard Huggard/Gallo Images) The flamboyant right-handed batsman from Pakistan has been rated very highly in the Pakistani contingent since his debut. Though he hasn’t lived up the hype yet his hard hitting abilities make him an asset to the side. In 2015, he played 5 matches for Chittagong Vikings and managed to score just 89 runs with 49 being his highest. He makes the move to Rajshahi Kings in 2016 and one could hope for better returns this season. 6. Dwayne Bravo: Dwayne Bravo. (Photo Source: BCCI) The “Champion” from the Caribbean is the kind of player you need in your side in any situation of the game. He possesses proficiencies in all departments of the game. He can strike big shots with the bat, he will give you cheap overs at the death and will pluck some unbelievable catches. After playing in the first season for Chittagong Kings, he returns to the league this year to play for Dhaka Dynamites. He has 10 wickets to his name in 10 BPL games in 2012 but he has improved leaps and bounces since then. 5. Carlos Brathwaite: Carlos Brathwaite. (Photo Source: BCCI) “Remember the name”, said Ian Bishop on commentary after Brathwaite hit 4 sixes in a row in the last over to crown West Indies the champions. His stature in the game has grown ever so fast since his insane innings in the 2016 World T20 final at Kolkata against England. He played in the IPL last season for Delhi Daredevils and now he will make his debut in the BPL when he plays for Barisal Bulls. His all-round skills could well prove to be of prime importance for the team. 4. Kumar Sangakkara: (Photo Source: BCB) The Sri Lankan maestro still continues to be around the game post his retirement from international cricket. His batting will be a treat to watch for the fans like it used to be in his premier days for Sri Lanka. He recently played for Surrey in County cricket and for Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League. The 39-year-old will continue playing for Dhaka Dynamites like the last season. In 10 games last year, he scored 349 runs at an amazing average of 38.77 and finished being the top run-getter in the tournament. This year too, he would hope to repeat the heroics from the previous season. 3. Andre Russell: Andre Russell. (Photo By Randy Brooks/Sportsfile via Getty Images) Amongst the best T20 all-rounders in the cricketing world, Russell would be one of the top picks in any T20 squad. His sheer power with the bat and express pace make him a highly valuable player in the format. In the last couple of years, he has emerged as a huge T20 player. From 2012 to 2015, he has played for Comilia Victorians and Khulna Royal Bengals and this year, he will don the jersey of Dhaka Dynamites. In 11 games, he has 14 wickets in his account with the best figures of 35/4. 2. Shahid Afridi: Shahid Afridi. (Photo by Mitchell Gunn/Getty Images) The veteran from Pakistan has been out of the international side off late and there have been plenty of speculations about his retirement. Amidst all this, he will make another appearance in the league and will captain the team Rangpur Riders. In the previous season, he played for Sylhet Super Starts and in 5 matches scored 87 runs at a strike rate of 152.63 which is always the case with him. In the fading days of his career, this would be a chance for him to once again show his mettle for cricket. 1. Chris Gayle: Chris Gayle. (Photo Ashley Allen/Sportsfile) When it comes to T20 cricket, one name that comes above the rest is Chris Gayle. There is no bigger hitter in the game than him and once he gets going, every person in the ground and outside is in danger. Recently, he missed a few games for West Indies due to injury and now will be his chance to mark his comeback. From 2012 till 2015, he has represented Barisal Bulls, Barisal Burners and Dhaka Gladiators and this year will make a move to Chittagong Vikings. He has a tremendous record in the league with 3 hundreds to his name at a massive strike rate of 186.55. If he remains injury-free throughout the tournament, he will be a highlight and the center of attraction for the fans. Also read: BPL 2016: Teams, Schedule, Squads and Fixture

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10 overseas players to watch out for in Bangladesh Premier League 2016

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