In an unexpected turn of events, Najmul Hossain Shanto, the captain of Bangladesh across all three formats, was left unsold in the first round of the BPL 2025 players’ draft. Despite his leadership experience, no franchise picked him, and similarly, Rishad Hossain, valued at BDT 60 lakh in the 'A' category, also went unselected.

However, some major signings caught attention in the first round. The veteran leaders Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Mahmudullah Riyad found their way back to familiar teams. Mashrafe, a BPL legend, rejoined Sylhet Strikers, while Fortune Barishal, the reigning champions snapped up Mahmudullah.

Newcomers Durbar Rajshahi made key picks, securing Taskin Ahmed and promising batter Jishan Alam. Dhaka Capitals strengthened their squad with the acquisitions of Litton Das and wicket-keeper Habibur Rahman Sohan. Chittagong Kings added youthful flair by drafting Shamim Hossain and Parvez Hossain Emon.

Meanwhile, Khulna Tigers opted for rising stars like Naim Sheikh and Hasan Mahmud, aiming to inject pace and stability into their lineup. In addition to reuniting with Mashrafe, Sylhet added hard-hitting opener Rony Talukdar to bolster their top order. Rangpur Riders, another title contender, secured the services of Nahid Rana and Saif Hassan, strengthening their depth in both batting and bowling departments.