Draft rules change will mean Steve Smith can play in BPL

The batsman's eligibility was blocked last week following objections from other franchises that he had not been initially listed in the player draft for the tournament

The will he, won't he saga surrounding Steve Smith's involvement in the Bangladesh Premier League is set to be resolved by a tweak of the competition's draft rules.

Smith, the former Australia captain who is currently serving a 12-month ban from international and state cricket for his part in the ball-tampering scandal, was initially signed by Comilla Victorians as a replacement for Asela Gunaratne in next year's competition.

However, the batsman's eligibility was blocked last week following objections from other franchises that he had not been initially listed in the player draft for the tournament.

That meant that Victorians were set to be without their star attraction but on Thursday, Cricbuzz reported that BPL organisers had written to each of the competing teams to announce a change to league rules.

^{Steve Smith is set to play in the Bangladesh Premier League}

Now franchises are permitted to sign one player outside the original draft list, therby granting Smith permission to take part.

He will now link up with his new team in time for their first game of the competition, against Sylhet Sixers - who include David Warner in their ranks - on January 6.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Hafeez has agreed a deal with Rajshani Kings for the upcoming tournament.

"We have signed Hafeez as we needed a right-handed batsman at the top and we are confident that his vast experience will be invaluable for us," Kings chief executive Tahmeed Haq told Cricbuzz.

"We are expecting to have him for the first five matches as later he will join the Pakistan squad for the series against South Africa."

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