Lanka Premier League side Dambulla Thunders have signed Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman for the upcoming season starting on July 1. 

Dambulla, losing finalists of the previous edition, confirmed the signing of the Fizz via a Facebook post on Sunday.

The auction for the upcoming season, which will run till July 21, will be held on Tuesday and teams have the opportunity to make direct signings as well as retain players before the auction.

Along with Mustafizur, Dambulla made five more direct signings, namely, Ibrahim Zadran, Nuwan Thushara, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha, and Praveen Jayawickrama.

Bangladesh's star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who played for Galle Titans last season, was not retained and his national teammate Towhid Hridoy, who shone with the bat for Jaffna Kings last year, was also not preferred as a direct signing by his side. 

Shakib had already signed for Major League Cricket side LA Knight Riders and the US-based franchise tournament will start from July 6, ruling out Shakib's availability for the LPL.