As BPL 2024 came to a close, with Fortune Barishal beating Comilla Victorians in the final to win their first title, here is ESPNcricinfo's team of the tournament.
1 Tamim Iqbal (capt)
Runs 492, Average 35.14, Strike rate 127.13
Tamim rose to the top of this season's runs chart with his consistent showing for Barishal. Having made three fifties in the tournament - 71 against Durdanto Dhaka, 66 against Comilla and 52 not out against Chattogram Challengers - he struck a quick 39 in the final to lead Barishal to their maiden title. This was the fourth time he finished with 400-plus runs in a BPL season.
2 Tanzid Hasan
Runs 384, Average 32.00, Strike rate 135.68
Tanzid scored only one fifty in his first nine games in the tournament. There was also a two-ball duck in that stretch. It seemed like the opener, who is regarded highly by everyone important in Bangladesh cricket, wasn't living up to his billing. Then came the game against Dhaka in which Tanzid made 70 off 51 balls. In the next game, he struck his maiden T20 hundred: 116 off 65. It was instrumental in taking Chattogram to the knockouts.
3 Towhid Hridoy
Runs 462, Average 38.5, Strike rate 149.5
Hridoy finished the campaign as the second-highest run-getter, but more importantly, he looked like the most improved batter in the season. Hridoy set the tournament alight when he blasted an unbeaten 108 off 57 balls against Dhaka. Two games later, he scored an unbeaten 91 off 47 against Khulna Tigers and then 64 in the first qualifier against Rangpur Riders. He was the third-highest scorer in the 2023 edition as well. The only improvement he would want next season is to become the BPL champion; he has now lost three finals in a row.
4 Babar Azam
Runs 251, Average 50.20, Strike rate 114.61
Babar was available for only six games for Rangpur but they won five of those. Babar made only 2 in the only one they didn't win. He started the season with an unbeaten 56. Two games later, he scored 62 against Dhaka, and finished the tournament with a pair of 47s. He didn't hit a lot of sixes, but made important runs at a fair clip.
5 James Neesham
Runs 291, Average 72.75, Strike rate 167.24; Wickets 4, Economy 9.93
Once Babar left, Neesham filled that hole in Rangpur's batting line-up perfectly. Just like Babar, he also scored a fifty in his first game. He hammered two more unbeaten fifties, including the 97 against Comilla in the first qualifier. With a strike rate of 167.24, Neesham was the tournament's most destructive batter.
6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk)
Runs 380, Average 31.66, Strike rate 120.63; Catches 17, Stumpings 2
Mushfiqur was the best wicketkeeper-batter of BPL 2024, his experience outshining Litton Das and Nurul Hasan as he helped Barishal to their maiden title. A feisty cricketer, Mushfiqur guided his side through a tricky period in the second qualifier, apart from scoring three fifties overall. His keeping was top class too. He pouched everything that came his way and made important saves in the playoffs.
7 Kyle Mayers
Runs 243, Average 40.50, Strike Rate 157.79; Wickets 9, Economy 5.91
A late entrant to the BPL, Mayers made an instant impact for Barishal. He started with 48 and 3 for 12 against Sylhet Strikers, and then registered 46 and 2 for 31 against Rangpur in the next match. He made a half-century against Chattogram and a brilliant 46 in the final against Comilla to be named the Player of the Match. Mayers' strokemaking, particularly the checked drives, enthralled the audience. He also bowled beautifully with the new ball, often finding swing when others couldn't.
8 Shakib Al Hasan
Runs 255, Average 23.18, Strike rate 158.38; Wickets 17, Economy 6.31
Although Shakib's campaign ended in a whimper in the second qualifier against Barishal where he made just one run and bowled only nine deliveries, he was on fire in the rest of the tournament prior to that. Despite an eye condition affecting his batting in the first few matches, he smacked 255 runs at a strike rate of 158.38. With the ball, he took 17 wickets.
9 Mohammad Saifuddin
Wickets 15, Average 15.66, Economy 6.81
There were lots of doubt about his fitness, but Saifuddin had a superb campaign. He took 15 wickets in nine appearances, often bowling splendidly with the new ball and providing early breakthroughs. He did not pick up a lot of wickets at the death but ensured Barishal didn't have to think about anyone else when he was around. In the final, despite bowling three wides and a no-ball in the 20th over, he conceded only seven against Andre Russell and Jaker Ali.
10 Bilal Khan
Wickets 15, Average 26.06, Economy 7.92
Oman's left-arm quick Bilal was effective with his angles and variations and finished his first BPL campaign as the joint-fourth-highest wicket-taker. He was instrumental in Chattogram's good start and later a superb finish against Khulna. In that game, Bilal had figures of 2 for 13 from his four overs. He took 3 for 24 against Sylhet, his best figures in the tournament.
11 Shoriful Islam
Wickets 22, Average 15.86, Economy 7.81
Shoriful, comfortably the highest wicket-taker in the tournament, was one of the few bright spots for Dhaka, who had an abysmal campaign, losing 11 of their 12 matches. Shoriful started the tournament with 3 for 27 against Comilla, and his best was 4 for 24 against Sylhet. He went wicketless in just two games.