Among the 30 Bangladeshi cricketers listed in the player draft for the Pakistan Super League (PSL), only speedster Nahid Rana, wicketkeeper-batter Liton Das and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain secured teams, while star players like Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman remained unsold.
Karachi Kings, the 2020 PSL champions, picked Liton Das from the silver category in the draft held on Monday in Lahore. Peshawar Zalmi acquired Bangladeshi speedster Nahid Rana from the gold category, while Lahore Qalandars signed Rishad Hossain from the silver category.
Nahid Rana caught attention with his express pace during the Test series on Bangladesh's Pakistan tour last August, where he clocked speeds of up to 150 km/h. His inclusion in the gold category came with a remuneration of USD 50,000. Rishad Hossain, who was in the diamond category with a remuneration of USD 85,000, impressed selectors with his strong performance in the last T20 World Cup. Since then, he has been a regular feature in Bangladesh's white-ball squads. With his effective leg-spin, the ability to contribute quick runs with the bat and excellent fielding skills, Rishad is seen as an ideal package for the T20 format.
Meanwhile, Shakib and Mustafizur both placed in the Platinum Category, the highest tier in the draft, failed to attract any buyers.
