Afif only Bangladeshi player to get team in CPL

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DHAKA, May 23, 2019 (BSS) – Youngster Afif Hossain was the only Bangladeshi player to get a team in the seven edition of Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 after a players’ draft held at the Gfinity eSports Arena in London on Wednesday.

A total of 18 Bangladeshi players were drafted including the big names of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim who were the part of CPL in the past few years.

There were also players like Taskin Ahmed, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Liton Kumer Das, Zakir Hossain, Ariful Haque, Zubair Hossain Likhon, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Abul Hasan Raju, Abu Haider Rony and Mohammad Saifuddin from Bangladesh who were amongst the record 536 players of CPL draft this season.

Youngster Afif Hossain got the team only when St Kitts and Nevis Patriots acquired him from the draft.

The young player who played a solitary T20 International match for Bangladesh national team and termed as the future prospect of the country’s cricket was excited to be the part of this league for the first time in his career.

“I feel really good to get in to CPL. I expected to get a team and I am very thrilled to get this great opportunity.” Afif told the BSS.

Shakib however was a familiar figure in CPL for the past few years. But no franchise has included him this year. Shakib played total 21 matches in CPL so far. He scored 182 runs and took 23 wickets with the best bowling figure of 6-6, which remains the second best bowling figure in T20 cricket history.

In last year’s CPL Mahmudullah played for Guyana, his performance with the bat and ball was pretty ordinary, resulting exclusion this season as it is believed.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Tamim Iqbal also have the experience of playing in the CPL.

The CPL is set to begin on September 4, with the final on October 12.