Legends of Rupganj have formed the most expensive team for the forthcoming Dhaka Premier League, according to an estimation which made them only one of the two clubs to spend over Tk two crore during Sunday’s players’ draft. Although Legends spent Tk 2.11 crore taka to buy 15 players they do not have any of the seven icon players, who are most expensive with the price of Tk 30 lakh.
Soumya Sarker and Mohammad Mithun both belonged to A+ category, with the price of Tk 25 lakh each are their most expensive players and they also have two ‘A’ grade players in Jahirul Islam and Mosharraf Hossan, priced 20 lakh apiece.
‘We have few very good top-order batsmen in Jahirul, Mithun and Soumya,’ said Legends coach Khaled Mashud. ‘We will probably add a right-hand middle-order foreign batsman, which will give us the right balance.
‘We are happy with our spin attack, which included Taijul [Islam] and Moshrraf. Our two pace bowlers [Abu Hider and Mehedi Hasan Rana] may not be very experience but I am sure they can do well.’
Despite being the second to Rupganj in expense Abahani, who spent Tk2.05 crore to buy 13 players including Tamim Iqbal and Sakib al Hasan, seemed to be most happy with the auction.
Abahani’s coach Khaled Mahmud, who also was the centre of attraction as he left Prime Bank to guide the Dhanmondi-based club, expressed his satisfaction.
‘We can confidently say that our squad is capable of clinching the championship and we must look ahead to achieve it in the upcoming season,’ Mahmud told New Age on Monday.
‘We are delighted to have Tamim and Sakib, who are two leading cricketers,’
Abahani’s arch-rivals Mohammedan were not far behind in expense and although they missed the two-crore mark for just Tk 8 lakh, but they made a formidable side with the likes of icon player Mushfiqur Rahim.
Like Rupganj, Prime Doleshwar also do not have any icon player, but the club, which have as much as five B+ players with the price of Tk 15 lakh each, also seemed satisfied with the balance of the side.
‘We are very satisfied with our squad as Prime Dholeshwar emphasise on forming the team with seasoned performers,’ said Doleshwar coach Mizanur Rahman.
‘Nasir Hossain is a proven player and I am sure he would like to take this as challenge to showcase his potential that would help him to retain a spot in the playing XI,’ added the coach, who guided Bangladesh Under-19 team to their first ever semi-final in a World Cup early in this year at home.
On the other side of the coin, Cricket Coaching School, who were promoted in this year, could spend least as they were the only team to spend under eight-figure mark.
CCS, who spent Tk 89.5 lakh bought 11 players, three from B category, five from C category, two from D and one from E category to mark their return to the top flight.
A team can keep maximum 18 players in the side and other than the auction all the 12 teams will fulfill their squad with unsold and foreign players.
-With New Age input
