Chris Gayle to ply his trade in Bangladesh Premier League

After being ignored for the Pakistan Super League last week, the West Indian star was taken by BPL’s Rangpur Riders.

Chris Gayle went unsold in the Pakistan Super League auction last week.

The cricketing fraternity was in a state of shock when Chris Gayle went unsold in the players’ draft of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) last week.

While social media went abuzz over Gayle’s ouster, many felt that the recent off-form has led to such a sorry state for the West Indies star.

But all that is in the past now!

Keeping faith in his star power, Rangpur Riders - one of the major franchises of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) - has got in Gayle in its ranks. With the franchise not doing too well in the tournament, the team management believes Gayle’s arrival will help them turn the tide.

Read: Chris Gayle seeks to cash in on Australia court win

Gayle is supposed to join the team on Thursday, while another foreign recruit for the side - Brendon McCullum - will reach on Wednesday. “Gayle is still the king of T20s. I don’t know why he went unsold in the Pakistan Super League. His presence will lift the team and it will be a morale booster for the side,” Rangpur Riders CEO, Ishtiaq Sadek, told Sportstar on Tuesday.

It is learnt that both Gayle and McCullum will be available for the side’s next match against Comilla Victorians on Sunday.

Earlier, there were uncertainties over the availability of Gayle as the dates of BPL were coinciding with the now-postponed Global T20 League in South Africa. “But now, with the South Africa league postponed, Gayle will be playing nine matches for us. His inclusion will be a good thing as he can change the colour of a game on any given day,” Sadek said.

Rangpur Riders, coached by Tom Moody and captained by Mashrafe Mortaza, hasn’t done too well (of the three games, it has only won in one) and it would be hoping to mend the odds with Gayle’s arrival