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Gazi Tank sign four more Bangladesh players

After confirming Shakib Al Hasan, Dhaka Premier League defending champions Gazi Tank Cricketers have signed four other Bangladesh players during the two-day players' transfer window, on Thursday

Mohammad Isam
Mohammad Isam
29-Aug-2014
Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan will represent Gazi Tank Cricketers in the Dhaka Premier League  •  AFP

Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan will represent Gazi Tank Cricketers in the Dhaka Premier League  •  AFP

After confirming Shakib Al Hasan, Dhaka Premier League defending champions Gazi Tank Cricketers have signed four other Bangladesh players during the two-day players' transfer window. Comparatively, the other top clubs from last season have been conservative in their spending.
Gazi Tank have Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Junaid Siddique, Jahurul Islam, Mosharraf Hossain and veteran allrounder Faisal Hossain in their ranks while they let go of Mahmudullah, Imrul Kayes and Aftab Ahmed among the big names from their victorious 2013-14 side.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, the runners-up from last year, saw Mushfiqur Rahim, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Elias Sunny, Junaid and Jahurul leave, while they added Arafat Sunny, Shahriar Nafees and Dollar Mahmud. Their failure to win the competition last season as well as the club's focus on football may have prompted the lighter squad.
Mushfiqur, Shafiul and Sunny moved to Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club that retained Mominul Haque. Prime Bank Cricket Club also bought well by signing Mahmudullah, Farhad Reza and Taskin Ahmed.
Among the traditional giants, Mohammedan Sporting Club retained Mashrafe Mortaza while signing Naeem Islam and Mohammad Mithun, while Shamsur Rahman went to Kalabagan Krira Chakra. Abahani, the record 17-time champions, were very poor last season. They signed Nasir Hossain, Ziaur Rahman and Saqlain Sajib among the big names, while Nazimuddin and Shahriar Nafees left the club.
Imrul Kayes, the highest scorer among the local players from last season, moved to Victoria Sporting Club while the highest wicket-taker Arafat Sunny had a hard time finding a club. Sohag Gazi remains the only national-pool player without a club, though he is linked to Dhanmondi.
Mahbubul Alam Robin, who was acquitted from the BPL tribunal earlier this year, signed for Kalabagan Krira Chakra.

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84