Gayle, Tanvir, Narine among retained players for BPL 2019

Dhaka Dynamites are the only team to retain three overseas players for BPL 2019, with most franchises choosing to retain local players for the tournament scheduled for January next year. The governing council had allowed teams to retain four players from the previous BPL season.

Khulna Titans, Comilla Victorians, Sylhet Sixers and Rangpur Riders decided to retain one overseas player each. Rajshahi Kings have picked only local players among their four picks, although they released Mushfiqur Rahim who will now head the draft list as the most valuable local player. The draft is scheduled for October 25.

Defending champions Rangpur retained captain Mashrafe Mortaza, Mohammad Mithun, Nazmul Islam and Chris Gayle while the runners-up Dhaka held Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Rovman Powell and Kieron Pollard back.

Powell, who hasn't played BPL yet, is signed by Dhaka while Liton Das moved from Comilla to Sylhet. Comilla also couldn't retain the Afghanistan spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, as they will all play in the Big Bash League, which will run from December 19 to February 17.

The BPL, which has gone back to the rule of four foreigners in an XI for the 2019 tournament, is also competing with the UAE T20x tournament scheduled to end in mid-January.

Meanwhile, the BCB said that there was still no decision on the fate of the Chittagong franchise after its current owners DBL Group reportedly said they cannot "continue in the tournament".