Saturday, January 10, 2009
Big names linked with Abahani, newbies Gazi
Club transfers from today
Defending champions Abahani have gone for the most sought-after player in domestic cricket as the three-day players' transfers for this year's Premier Cricket League starts at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is set to return to Abahani after a season in Bangladesh Biman, last season's runners-up. The Narail Express gave one good performance after another in Biman colours while all others around him struggled in the big games of the Super League. Tamim Iqbal, who was Mashrafe's teammate in Biman, have also been linked with the Sky Blues while Nazmul Hossain is expected to be the other national pool player in Abahani. The Sylhet paceman was part of the team that lifted the Twenty20 and the 50-over Premier League titles.
Abahani, the worst hit in terms of losing players to the banned Indian Cricket League, have also signed up batsmen Imran Ahmed, Rony Talukdar and Nasir Hossain after losing the services of successful captain Tushar Imran, who apparently has moved to Biman. Including Tushar's departure, Abahani have lost five players this season, four being Shahriar Nafees, Nazimuddin, Mahbubul Karim and the veteran Mohammad Rafique.
Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful has decided that he would turn out in newcomers Gazi Tank's colours after an ordinary season for Mohammedan Sporting Club. Batsmen Imrul Kayes and Nayeem Islam are expected to join Ashraful, who appeared to have put pen to club papers before leaving for South Africa two months ago.
The Motijheel giants, who also lost three players including Aftab Ahmed to the ICL, have confirmed batsmen Rokibul Hasan and Faisal Hossain and paceman Sajidul Islam while retaining Dollar Mahmud.
Rokibul was in Biman's books last season but the national airliner, who lost all three of their pool players to the two giants and Alok Kapali and Mosharraf Hossain to ICL, is set to sign up in-form all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and paceman Shahadat Hossain to balance their books a bit.
Old DOHS are set to retain the services of captain Mehrab Hossain and add another inform player in Mahmudullah Riyad while retaining most of the other players from last season. Surjo Tarun, who finished inside the top six last season, have confirmed that they have gone for Zunaed Siddiqui and Rajin Saleh from the pool while adding Anisur Rahman, Hannan Sarkar and Gazi Salahuddin. They have also retained Khaled Mashud it seems but were among those who lost top players to the ICL; Habibul Bashar and Mohammad Sharif.
Among the seventeen pool players, Tigers wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim has not decided on a club while Syed Rasel is out injured for almost another couple of months.
Teams like Victoria, City Club, last season's surprise package BKSP, last-minute survivors Young Pegasus and newcomers Cricket Coaching School have gone for mid-level teams, according to sources.
The club transfers of the twelve Premier and twenty First Division clubs that begin at 3pm in the BCB offices of the Big Bowl today, will conclude on January 12.
