BPL Draft: Shakib Al Hasan joins Chittagong Kings for upcoming season

Veteran Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has joined the ranks of Chittagong Kings for the upcoming season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). In 2023, Shakib had signed a two-year deal with Rangpur Riders, but both parties parted ways after a mutual understanding with Kings.

The understanding between both sides helped Chittagong Kings sign Shakib Al Hasan as a direct signing. Apart from Kings, Fortune Barishal opted to go with Rishad Hossain, but it is worth noting that Hossain was signed by Barishal after 40 other players were signed by franchises.

Hossain’s signing came quite late due to his potential unavailability, with Hobart Hurricane picking him for the Big Bash League. Barishal also signed current Bangladesh skipper and left-handed batter Najmul Hossain Shanto at the draft.

Also Read: Newly-formed Dhaka Capitals sign Litton Das in BPL Players’ Draft

With the conclusion of the BPL draft, the BCB’s (Bangladesh Cricket Board) president Faruque Ahmed came forward and talked about how relieved he was that the draft took place.

“We were all in a lot of uncertainty. I wasn't even sure how many teams would participate. It took a lot of hard work. My BPL team also worked on it. Now, we've held the draft. With two and a half months left until the main tournament, I'm confident the teams will be able to further strengthen their squads,” Faruque was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

“Most teams still have some spots to fill. So far, we've conducted the draft as planned, though it was delayed once. Given that, I wouldn't say it's been too bad. There are seven teams. We are trying many new things. It won't be 100 percent perfect but it will be better than before,” he added.

We'll try to make T20 cricket more enjoyable: Ahmed

It is worth noting that the BPL franchises can continue to sign the players directly until the tournament is scheduled to start on December 27. Ahead of the competition, Faruque Ahmed also talked about how the BCB will look to opt with batter-friendly surfaces in the tournament.

“This time, our utmost effort will be to ensure good batting wickets where bowlers will be respected if they bowl well. I believe the wickets weren't too bad in the last tournament either. Runs were low in the daytime matches. This time, we will try to make T20 cricket more enjoyable,” he said.