Mashrafe gearing up to join Khulna

Bangladesh former captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza started gearing up to join Gemcon Khulna to play in the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup 2020. Khulna roped him in winning a lottery held at the BCB on Sunday, reports UNB.

Mashrafe bowled at least six overs on Monday at the Academy Ground of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in the city as his preparation to get back to competitive cricket after a long gap of nine months.

The right-arm pacer joined a fitness test on Sunday and made the selectors satisfied. Now, he has no obstacle to join the event.

Mashrafe, also a lawmaker, wasn't listed in the players draft for this event due to concern over his fitness. But the pace-bowler has started practice recently which made the teams eager to bid for him.

Fortune Barishal was the first team to show interest to rope him in. After them, Minister Group Rajshahi, Gemcon Khulna and Beximco Dhaka also came up to secure his service.

As Mashrafe wasn't listed in the draft, every team has the same right to include him in the squad. But since there are more than one team to show their interest, BCB had to hold a lottery to decide Mashrafe's feat, and it was Gemcon Khulna who won the lottery. Mashrafe played his last competitive game back in March this year.