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Shakib Al Hasan moves from Dhaka Dynamites to Rangpur Riders

All the latest news from the Bangladesh Premier League

First name on the sheet?  •  Getty Images

First name on the sheet?  •  Getty Images

Shakib Al Hasan has signed a one-year contract with the Rangpur Riders and will play for them in new BPL season, which begins on December 6. The allrounder leaves Dhaka Dynamites having led them to the final thrice in three seasons, lifting the title in 2016. Given the rivalry between the two sides, Shakib's move is a bit of a coup by the Riders.
The franchise owners Basundhara Group presented Shakib, who is currently on leave from Bangladesh duty, in their headquarters on Tuesday.
This is Shakib's second stint with the Riders although he played under different owners during the 2015 season, in which he took 18 wickets but scored only 136 runs in 11 matches. Shakib has also played for Khulna Royal Bengals (2012) and Dhaka Gladiators (2013).
Shakib's acquisition by the Rangpur franchise, as their icon player, also means that Mashrafe Mortaza has to look for a new franchise for the upcoming season, having led them to their maiden BPL title in 2017, and the knockout stage in the previous season.

July 21

Eoin Morgan to make BPL debut with Dhaka Dynamites
Eoin Morgan, who led England to their first World Cup title last week, is set for his maiden Bangladesh Premier League stint, after signing up with Dhaka Dynamites for the upcoming season.
In 2016, Morgan had expressed his concerns about going to Bangladesh following a terrorist attack in Dhaka in July. He and Alex Hales eventually withdrew from England's squad due to security reasons.
Morgan has played 268 T20s, scoring 5652 runs at a strike-rate of 128.25. Morgan's next assignment after the World Cup is the Euro T20 Slam, where he will represent the Dublin franchise. Morgan will then join another World Cup star Shakib Al Hasan at Dhaka later this year.
Duminy to join Rajshahi Kings
Rajshahi Kings have signed up JP Duminy, the South Africa batsman who recently retired from international cricket, as one of their two out-of-draft signings. They haven't announced their other signing yet.
Duminy has been a regular in other top T20 leagues like the IPL, but hasn't featured in the BPL until now. He didn't play in the 2019 season of the IPL, having endured an ordinary 2018 season with Mumbai Indians, scoring just 36 runs in six matches at the strike rate of 90.00. He had a better time at the PSL last year, scoring 251 runs at an average of 35.85, with two fifties.

July 18

Khulna Titans rope in Shane Watson
Khulna Titans have roped in Australian allrounder Shane Watson for the 2019-20 Bangladesh Premier League. Watson was the first of the two direct signings for Khulna, who finished at the bottom of the points table last season.
Watson, who had missed the 2017 BPL due to injury, after signing up with Dhaka Dynamites that year, said that his primary goal would be to win a maiden title for Khulna.
"I am super excited to join the Khulna Titans for the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League season," Watson said. "The coaching and management team at the Khulna Titans are putting together an amazing squad, so hopefully we can bring home that title that we have always been looking for."
Watson announced his BBL retirement in April, but he continues to be an active player in other T20 leagues. In May, he nearly took Chennai Super Kings to the IPL title and he is now set to turn out in the inaugural Euro T20 Slam.
The seventh edition of BPL is scheduled to start in first week of December later this year.