Chevrons duo to feature for Sylhet Strikers in Bangladesh Premier League 

By Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE cricket team all-rounder Ryan Burl and fast bowler Richard Ngarava are set to participate in this year’s edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), after being signed up by the Sylhet Strikers during the competition’s player draft on Monday.

The 2024 edition of the BPL is scheduled to take place in January next year with seven teams in participation – Fortune Barishal, Chattogram Challengers, Comilla Victorians, Durdanto Dhaka, Rangpur Riders, Sylhet Strikers and the Khulna Tigers

It is expected to clash with Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), the ILT20 in the UAE and South Africa’s SA20 which will run around the same time.

The clash with the other tournaments appears to have affected Zimbabwe star Sikandar Raza’s participation after he was not retained by the Rangur Rangers.

However fellow Zimbabwean star Burl was retained by the Sylhet Strikers after initially impressing during his stint with the franchise during this year’s competition.

The hard-hitting left-handed batter-cum-leg-spinner, has been one of the rising stars of the Zimbabwe cricket team which has been enjoying a brilliant run in international cricket in recent months.

He will be joined on the Sylhet Strikers roster next year by Ngarava who has over the last few months established himself as one of Zimbabwe’s top fast bowlers.

The 25-year-old quickie recently enjoyed a successful stint overseas when he starred for the Galle Titans during the fourth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) last month.

Ngarava was one of Zimbabwe’s best performers during the ICC Men’s World Cup qualifiers as he was named in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 Team of the Tournament after taking 14 wickets at an impressive average of 19.28.

During the qualifiers, he also matched Henry Olonga’s long-standing record of having claimed 14 wickets in consecutive innings for Zimbabwe in One Day Internationals.

The legendary Olonga achieved the feat between 1999 and 2000 but Ngarava, whose run started last year could break the record if he manages to claim at least a wicket in Zimbabwe’s next ODI match.

The stint in imminent Bangladesh presents Ngarava with another opportunity to showcase his talent in overseas franchise T20 cricket, as his profile in the game continues to grow.

Ngarava has represented Zimbabwe in four Tests, 39 ODIs and 34 T20i matches.