The two-day national players’ transfer window of the Dhaka Premier League 2014/15 will open from today at the office room of the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolitan (CCDM) at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. The 23-member pool consists of players who wore the Bangladesh shirt in the last one year.
The ‘Players’ by Choice’ system implemented in the last season has been terminated after enormous protest from the club officials. However, the BCB took two bold decisions this time which should be beneficial for the domestic circuit. The board has divided the pool players into two categories - ‘A’ comprising 17 players (batsmen, spinners and all-rounders) whilst ‘B’ is made up of just six fast bowlers.
The second decision – a club will be allowed to field only one overseas player, but register seven – a decision that should encourage the local cricketers. Last season a club was allowed to play three foreigners and register 10.
Meanwhile, it is being widely said suspended national all-rounder Shakib al Hasan, who has been recently handed a ban from any form of cricket for six months by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), will be allowed to participate in the upcoming league after the southpaw appealed to the board to reconsider his punishment.
The BCB is yet to set a meeting date to discuss the appeal but it was learnt that the board, under special consideration, will allow him to participate in the transfer process of the non-pool players which will be held on August 27-28.
A club is allowed three players from the pool as per the CCDM directives - two from ‘A’ and one from ‘B’. This fresh order from the CCDM came as a blessing for the pacers who are otherwise neglected (if inside pool-quota) by the clubs.
The seamers - Mashrafe bin Mortaza and Al-Amin Hossain opted to remain in their existing tents of Mohammedan Sporting Club and Abahani Limited respectively, Robiul Islam signed for Kalabagan KC, Rubel Hossain to Gazi Tank, Shafiul Islam to Prime Doleshwar and Taskin Ahmed for Prime Bank.
According to sources, at least five top-clubs – Abahani, Mohammedan, Gazi Tank, Prime Doleshwar and Prime Bank have already confirmed their pool cricketers with defending champions Gazi a step ahead from others as they already have strengthened their fort by roping in local performers Jahurul Islam, Alok Kapali, Rokibul Hassan, Sharif Ullah, Naeem Islam Jr and Mosharraf Hossain Rubel.
Meanwhile, hard hitting batsman Ziaur Rahman has signed for the Sky Blues while the club is also in talks with Imrul Kayes and Anamul Haque Bijoy. The Bangladesh under-19 star all-rounder Mosaddek Hossain Saikat remained with Abahani as they also added Abdul Majid, Shuvagoto Hom, Soumya Sarkar, Enamul Haque Jr, Taijul Islam, Sadman Islam and Nazmul Apu. They are also linked with Saqlain Sajib, leg spinner Jubair Ahmed Likhon and quickie Shubhashis Roy.
Naeem Islam and Mohammad Mithun are the other quota players for Mohammedan while Alauddin Babu, Nur Hossain Munna, Ariful Haque, Sajedul Islam and Tanvir Haider are among the domestic performers who have already signed for the Black and Whites.
Runners-up Prime Doleshwar are eying a better finish as they have roped in Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim from Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club alongside retaining Mominul Haque. Mahmudullah, Farhad Reza and rookie pacer Taskin Ahmed will wear Prime Bank CC jerseys.
