Bangladesh Cricket Board has granted Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed no objection certificates to play in the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates, allowing the two fast bowlers to take part in the competition from 3 to 23 December, according to a senior board source.
Mustafizur secured a place with Dubai Capitals only yesterday, joining the franchise as a replacement for GM Ritesh ahead of the new season. Before the auction, he had briefly been signed as a replacement for England pacer Luke Wood, but that contract was cancelled and the franchise brought in Haider Ali instead. Within a month, Dubai returned for Mustafizur again, finalising a deal just days before the tournament which begins on 2 December. He had previously featured for their IPL sister franchise, Delhi Capitals.
Shakib Al Hasan and Taskin were already confirmed for the league, having been signed during the auction. MI Emirates picked Shakib at his base price of 40,000 US dollars, while Sharjah Warriors secured Taskin for 80,000 dollars. With Mustafizur now added to the list, Bangladesh will have three representatives in the upcoming edition of the IL T20.
The timing of the competition overlaps with the expected December window for the Bangladesh Premier League. The BPL schedule has not yet been announced, and the uncertainty leaves open the question of whether Taskin and Mustafizur will be permitted to play the full IL T20 season. Shakib, who has not featured in the BPL for a year, is certain to participate in the UAE. BCB has already granted leg spinner Rishad Hossain permission to play in the Big Bash League, which suggests flexibility for players during the international off period.
The squads for the three franchises featuring Bangladeshi players have also been confirmed.
Dubai Capitals will feature Scott Kuggeleijn, Mohammad Nabi, Tymal Mills, Muhammad Farooq, Farhan Khan, Anudeep Chelthamara, Usman Ghani, Shayan Jahangir, Rushil Ugarkar, Navin Vidyashe, Toby Albert, Akshay Wakhare, Mustafizur Rahman, Jordan Cox, Rovman Powell, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali and Jimmy Neesham.
MI Emirates have Andre Fletcher, Mohammad Rohid, Naveen ul Haq, Jordan Thompson, Shakib Al Hasan, Nashthush Kenjige, Zahoor Khan, Mohammad Shafiq, Zain ul Abidin, Usman Khan, Akim Ogeis, Arab Gul, Tajinder Dhillon, Tom Banton, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, Mohammad Ghazanfar and Kamindu Mendis.
Sharjah Warriors have Junaid Siddique, Dwaine Pretorius, Nathan Sowter, Jayden Seales, Taskin Ahmed, Wasim Akram, Ethan D’Souza, Richard Ngarava, Harmit Singh, Rais Ahmad, Mohammad Naoufer, Mohammad Aslam, Abdul Salman Khan, James Rew, Dinesh Karthik, Sikandar Raza, Tom Kohler Cadmore, Tim David, Johnson Charles, Tim Southee and Saurabh Netravalkar.
