McCullum joins Rangpur Riders

Former New Zealand star batsman Brendon McCullum has joined Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) outfit Rangpur Riders for the upcoming edition of the tournament.

The postponement of the Glbal T20 league has meant that McCullum was able to sign up for his first BPL season.

According to ESPNcricinfo, McCullum will join up with the Riders from November 15, meaning he will miss their first three BPL matches.

McCullum has featured in 297 T20 matches for global franchises and country where he averages 31.46 with a strike rate of 139.65.

In 2008 he showcased his T20 exploits with a smashing 158 from just 73 deliveries against RCB Banglore in the Indian Premier League (IPL). McCullum is up there with the likes of Chris Gayle when it comes to massive destruction with the bat, especially in the shortest version of the game. This edition of the BPL will give the viewers a chance to see Gayle and McCullum, two of the cleanest strikers of the cricket ball, pair up and open the innings for the Rangpur Riders.

Riders will be captained by Bangladesh's ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.

Rangpur Riders:

Local Players: Mashrafe Mortaza (icon), Rubel Hossain, Shahriar Nafees, Mohammad Mithun, Abdur Razzak, Ebadat Hossain, Sohag Gazi, Nazmul Islam Apu, Ziaur Rahman, Fazle Mahmud, Elias Sunny, Nahidul Islam.

Foreign Players: Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Adam Lyth, Kusal Perera, Johnson Charles, Ravi Bopara, Thisara Perera, David Willey, Samuel Badree, Sam Hain, Samiullah Shenwari, Zahir Khan.