All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders for the next edition of the Indian Premier League. Apart from Shakib, the franchise has also retained Andre Russel, Brad Hogg, Chris Lynn, Morne Morkel, Sunil Narine and a host of local players.

On the whole, as many as 137 cricketers, including 37 overseas players were retained by the franchises.

Shakib had played four matches in the last IPL. He scored 36 runs at an average of 12 and scalped four wickets. KKR finished fifth in the last season and had missed the Playoffs by a whisker.

They had had a very good season until the very last week when they lost two matches in a row for the only time in the season; overall they won seven matches and lost six.  

It is understood that the released players will be available in the auction which is set to take place on 6 February 2016 in Bangalore, with Pune and Rajkot being the new teams in the fray after the suspension of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.

PLAYERS RETAINED BY KKR :

Gautam Gambhir, Kuldeep Yadav, Manish Pandey, Piyush Chawla, Robin Uthappa, Sheldon Jackson, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Yusuf Pathan, Andre Russell, Brad Hogg, Chris Lynn, Morne Morkel, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine.