DHAKA, Bangladesh (CMC):

Chris Gayle topped the list of one dozen West Indies players who have been signed to play in the inaugural Bangladesh Twenty20 Premier League next month.

The big-hitting opener, whose career has been put on ice because of his long-running dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board, was pipped for the highest price by Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi for the tournament.

Afridi sold for US $700,000 to the Dhaka Gladiators and Gayle went for $551,000 to the Barisal Burners.

West Indies players did well for themselves in the auctions, with Marlon Samuels, whose batting during the team's recent series there was outstanding, fetching a price of US $360,000 for the Duronto Rajshadi.

This was above Kieron Pollard, whose reputation as a big hitter has also been in high demand in T20 tournaments globally. The T&T all-rounder was picked up by the Gladiators for US $300,000.

His compatriot and fellow all-rounder Dwayne Bravo went to the Chittagong Kings for US $150,000.

There were a few surprising choices among the Caribbean imported list with heavily maligned West Indies captain Darren Sammy fetching a price of US $55,000 for the Sylhet Royals. Fast bowler Jerome Taylor has not played any serious cricket for the last year, but the Kings picked him up for US $50,000, along with T&T all-rounder Kevon Cooper for US $25,000.

The Khulan Royal Brengals claimed durable batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul for US $25,000, although his opportunities in the shorter version of the game have been few this past year.

The other Caribbean imports picked up in the auction were all-rounder André Russell (US $85,000), fast bowler Fidel Edwards (US $60,000) and all-rounder Dwayne Smith (US $50,000) for the Khulan Royal Brengals , along with opener Lendl Simmons (US $25,000) for the Chittagong Kings.

The BPL will be contested by six franchises that were bought for prices ranging between US $1.01 million and US $1.2 million, with SQ Sports picking up Chittagong for the highest value during the franchise auction on January 10.

The season will commence on February 9 and is likely to clash with the WICB Regional four-day competition which opens on February 3.

An official source said the WICB is not likely to object to the players taking part in the tournament, but the final decision will rest with their territorial boards.

Taking part in the tournament would mean that the players would miss the first three to four rounds of the four-day competition.