Only three Bangladeshi cricketers – Sakib al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Ashraful–have been bracketed in the top categories of Indian Premier Cricket League players’ auction, to be held in Bangalore on January 8 and 9.
Sakib has got the highest base price of $200,000 among the Bangladeshis. Tamim on the other hand was bracketed with the likes of Morne Morkel and Ben Hilfenhaus for $100,000 base price. Ashraful has been offered a base price of $50,000.
Around 400 foreign players including 19 Bangladeshis have expressed their willingness to be a part of the cricketing extravaganza and they have been classified in six brackets ranging from $20,000 to $400,000.
The Bangladeshis are Tamim Iqbal, Sakib al Hasan, Mashrafee bin Murtaza, Mohammad Ashraful, Abdur Razzak, Shahriar Nafees, Roqibul Hassan, Junaed Siddique, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Shahadat Hossain, Jahirul Islam, Syed Rasel, Naeem Islam, Shuvagoto Hom and Sohrawardi Shuvo.
Of the Bangladeshis, Razzak, Mashrafee and Ashraful, who played in the money-spinning Twenty20 competition in the past, did not need any pre- registration for this season’s auction.
Bangladeshis, however, had had some bitter experiences over IPL auction as many of them failed to attract any franchise in the previous occasions. Sakib was thought to be one of best attraction in the last auction being the leading one-day all-rounder, but surprisingly no franchise expressed any interest about him.
There were some contrasting experiences too. Mashrafee had created a stir in the second auction when Kolkata Knight Riders outbid now ousted Kings XI Punjab to buy him for staggering $6,000,000. In the same second season, Mumbai Indians bought Ashraful for $75,000.
The first Bangladeshi player to have got a franchise was spinner Razzak who played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first season for $50,000.
The IPL experience of Razzak, Mashrafee and Ashraful however did not last for more than one match.
Razzak was released by Royal Challengers in the second season after he conceded 29 runs in two overs in the only match that he played. Mashrafee too had to remain content with just one game which he will never try to recall after conceding 58 runs in four overs.
Ashraful made only two runs in his first game and was not picked for any more game. He was not invited to play in the next season.
