Shakib Al Hasan picked by Nangarhar Cosmic in APL draft

Shakib Al Hasan was picked by Nangarhar Cosmic in the second round of Diamond category selections at the Afghanistan Premier League T20 player draft, held in Dubai on Tuesday. Two other Bangladesh players also found teams: pace bowler Nahid Rana went to Paktia and Shamim Hossain to Akcel United Kabul.

The draft was set to send 462 players under the hammer across five tiers, with the revamped five-team league expected to get under way on 27 December.

Who went where

Nahid Rana, described as a pace sensation, was signed by Paktia, also in the second round of Diamond picks. Akcel United Kabul took Shamim Hossain from the Gold category.

Several better-known Bangladesh names registered but were not picked. They include white-ball captain Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed.

The league

The Afghanistan Cricket Board first launched the APL in 2018, but that five-team competition was scrapped after a single season. The league has now been revamped.

Multiple reports suggest it will be staged entirely in the UAE rather than in Afghanistan.