Bangladesh's first-ever player to be sold at IPL auctions and it is NOT Shakib al Hasan

The IPL 2020 is all set to commence in the UAE from September 19 and will go on till November 10. The 13th edition of the tournament was originally slated to start on March 29 but the cash-rich league was indefinitely postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the IPL 2020 approaching, the franchises are leaving no stone unturned to prepare themselves for the tournament. As the IPL 2020 is set to commence soon, let's take a look at Bangladesh's first-ever player who was sold in the IPL.

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IPL 2020: Abdur Razzak was the first Bangladesh player to feature in the cash-rich league

The announcement of the IPL 2008 sent fans into a frenzy because of its innovative nature. The cash-rich league helped in revolutionizing cricket in the country and it also gave Indian cricket some of the best talents. While some players raked in big bucks, there were also players who failed to attract any bidders. Bangladesh players were among the players who couldn't lure franchises into buying them. As many as three Bangladeshi players (Mohammad Ashraful, Mashrafe Mortaza and Abdur Razak) had given their name for IPL 2008 auctions.

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Fans had expected Mohammad Ashraful and Mashrafe Mortaza to be sold in IPL 2008 auctions as they were rising through the ranks and were prominent members of Bangladesh side. However, contrary to all expectations, both of them went unsold. It was left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak who became the first Bangladeshi player to play in the IPL.

Abdur Razzak was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for a price of US$50,000 (₹20 lakh approximately at the time) at the IPL 2008 auctions. He was also the only Bangladesh player to feature in the cash-rich league that year. The left-arm spinner ended up playing a solitary match for the Bangalore-based franchise where he bowled two overs. He was expensive as he gave away 29 runs without taking any wicket. 

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Thereafter, Abdur Razzak couldn't make it to Royal Challengers Bangalore's playing XI. However, Abdur Razzak had once stated in an interview that Anil Kumble was very helpful when he asked him about bowling in Test matches. Razzak said that Kumble told him that given his bowling approach, it is very important to use variations within his line and length. He also said that former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad was also a great help during his stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The inaugural season of the IPL wasn't fruitful for Bangladesh players. However, the following year turned out to be a great one for them as two of their players who went unsold in 2008 managed to find bidders this time around. Mohammad Ashraful was picked by Mumbai Indians at his base price of US$75,000. On the other hand, Mashrafe Mortaza raked in big bucks as he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping US$600,000, which was 12 times his base price.

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IMAGE COURTESY: IPLT20.COM