IPL 2020: 3 Bangladesh players who could attract bids at the auction

Bangladesh impressed everyone on the T20 leg of their Indian tour. After defeating India in the first T20 at Delhi, they ran the hosts close at Nagpur but failed to get over the finishing line.

A T20 series in India before the IPL auction was the perfect platform for Bangladesh's players to showcase their talent. There were a few impressive individual performances by the visitors, which would have helped them get noticed by the various IPL franchises.

On that note, here is a look at 3 Bangladeshi players who could find attract bids at the 2020 IPL auction:

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#1 Mushfiqur Rahim

Mushfiqur Rahim

The wicket-keeper batsman could be a handy pick in the upcoming IPL auction. Mushfiqur Rahim is a gritty middle-order batsman who is a good finisher in T20 cricket.

He proved his worth in Bangladesh's victory over India in the first T20I at Delhi. He scored an unbeaten 60 in 43 balls and guided his team to their maiden win against India in the shortest format.

Rahim is an excellent keeper too, and particularly effective on sub-continent wickets. He has more than 12 years' experience of playing international cricket, and can be an asset for any team.

Kings XI Punjab will be looking for a wicket-keeper in the upcoming season of the IPL as they missed a specialist keeper in the 2019 edition of the IPL. KL Rahul is not a regular keeper, and Rahim could find himself playing for the Kings in the upcoming season.

Royal Challengers Bangalore may also look for another keeper-batsman in place of Heinrich Klaasen, who did not have a successful IPL in 2019. Rahim could be a prefect fit in RCB's middle order and provide the finishing touches to the innings, which has been lacking in the last couple of seasons.

#2 Mustafizur Rahman

Mustafizur Rahman

Although Mustafizur Rahman did not taste much success in the recently concluded T20 series against India, he has been a match-winner with the ball in international cricket as well as the IPL.

Rahman played a vital role in guiding the Sunrisers Hyderabad to the IPL title in the year 2016. He picked up 17 wickets in 16 matches and was a real difference-maker at the death.

After playing a solitary game in the 2017 IPL, Rahman was picked up by Mumbai Indians in 2018. But a hairline fracture to his toe ruled him out of the season after seven matches.

He did not get the NOC from the Bangladesh Cricket Board to play in the 2019 IPL season, in order to keep him fit for the 2019 World Cup.

Sunrisers Hyderabad could look to bid for Rahman at the upcoming auction. They have a bowling attack comprising mostly Indian bowlers, namely Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, Sandeep Sharma and Basil Thampi.

The franchise may want to get Rahman back into their team and form a formidable pace attack which suits the team in home conditions. Rahman can be a replacement for Billy Stanlake, who did not play a single game in the 2019 IPL.

Kolkata Knight Riders are also looking for a fast bowler who has experience of playing international cricket and who can guide the young Indian bowlers. Rahman fits that bill, making it likely that he will be in great demand at the 2020 IPL auction.

#3 Mohammad Naim

Mohammed Naim

The 20-year-old left-handed opener was the find for Bangladesh in the T20 series against India. Naim made his debut against India at Delhi and in three matches he scored 143 runs at a strike rate of 133.64 and an impressive average of 47.67.

Naim's innings at Nagpur was the highlight of his series. He initially takes time to settle down but once he gets his eye in, he can be a destructive batsman. In Nagpur, he scored 81 off 48 balls with 10 boundaries and 2 sixes and almost single-handedly won the game for Bangladesh.

Rajasthan Royals are on the lookout for a top order batsman who can be available for the entire IPL season. With the likes of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler likely to be unavailable for the entire season due to international duties, the management may look to rope in the young Naim.

Another team which may show keen interest in Naim is Chennai Super Kings. The Men in Yellow might want a replacement for Faf du Plessis, who is not in the best touch right now. Naim could be the perfect opening partner for Shane Watson, and accumulate tall scores at the top of the order.