Dhaka Premier League conducts special transfer window

Dhaka Premier League's defending champions Gazi Tank Cricketers have roped in Tamim Iqbal while Mushfiqur Rahim has signed for Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club during the special two-day transfer window for the pool of national players, which concluded on Monday. The open transfer system, which had been a tradition of the local leagues, was given a miss last year after the Dhaka clubs demanded a lottery for player transfers.

This time however transfers were back. The pool was divided into two grades - A and B - the latter of which contained six pace bowlers, one of whom had to be compulsorily picked by a club if it was signing the maximum permitted number of players: three. So, if a club decided to take three out of the pool of 23 players, one of the three had to a be a pace bowler.

In keeping with that regulation, Prime Doleshwar signed Shafiul Islam from Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, signed Mushfiqur and retained Mominul Haque. Kalabagan Krira Chakra signed Robiul Islam, Shamsur Rahman and Abdur Razzak, while Mohammedan retained Mashrafe Mortaza and signed Naeem Islam and Mithun Ali.

Abahani, the record 17-times champions, retained Al-Amin Hossain while also confirming Nasir Hossain. Tamim moved from Brothers Union to Gazi Tank, who also retained the services of Rubel Hossain.

Shakib Al Hasan was not part of the 23-man national pool, and if the board approves his participation in the Dhaka Premier League (reducing his suspension in effect), it is likely that he will join Gazi Tank on August 27-28, the regular window for Dhaka Premier League player transfers.

This is the first time the league organiser, Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis, has organised two windows. It was done to accommodate the Bangladesh players who will fly to West Indies on August 13.

Till the filing of this report at the close of the transfer window on Monday evening, Arafat Sunny and Sohag Gazi were without a club while it was also unclear whether Sabbir Rahman will play for Kalabagan Cricket Academy and where Ziaur Rahman would go.