Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchise Rangpur Riders has signed a Sri Lankan wicket-keeper batsman Kusal Perera as their latest entrant for the fifth edition of the domestic Twenty20 league which is scheduled in November, this year. (Read Here: India Will Start As Favourites Against Sri Lanka: Muttiah Muralitharan).
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Riders Ishtiaq Sadek, in his press briefing, has confirmed the inclusion of the southpaw to the Bangladesh’s media on July 15 (Saturday).
“We have signed Sri Lankan cricketer Kusal Perera for our next mission in BPL.” Sadek was quoted as saying by Bdcrictime after naming the availability of Perera, who has also featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL), in the recent past.
Apart from Arafat Sunny and Perera, earlier, Riders have availed the services of Windies swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle followed by Johnson Charles, leg-spinner Samuel Badree and Thisara Perera from Sri Lanka including Ravi Bopara (England), as the sixth overseas player, in a bid to strengthen the side to yield the desired results.
“We are talking with Warner and Chirs Morris. Hopefully, we will be able to ensure their inclusion too.” Sadek added.
Interestingly, Perera has been the part of Sri Lankan team in all the formats, as he has also become an overall eighth player as a signing for Riders, for the upcoming season.
The latest development revealed, Riders top brasses are looking forward to rope in Australian batsman David Warner and South African all-rounder Chris Morris which would not only help the team’s cause to balance the team, but would certainly be an entertaining point for the viewers.
“Fans and spectators want to see always blistering knocks from the batsmen. We are going to make a balanced team by taking all-rounders in the squad,” Sadek maintained.
The 26-year-old Kalubowila-born Perera has featured in 70 One-day Internationals in which he has smashed three hundreds and eight half centuries, as he scored 1,726 at an average of 27.83.
In 10 Tests, he has scored 565 runs at an average of 31.38. In 27 Twenty20 Internationals, Perera has scored 716 runs which saw six fifties to his credit, as he maintained his strike-rate of over 132.
However, Perera’s domestic Twenty20 record in terms of a an average is not that good, he has played 76 T20 in which he has amassed 1,472 runs at an average of 21.33, which further saw him registering 11 fifties to his name.