The explosive Chris Gayle has been named in a strong line-up for defending champions and pre-tournament favourites Rangpur Riders ahead of the Bangladesh Premier League T20 which bowls off on Saturday.

As well as Gayle the Riders will also feature Jamaican Sheldon Cottrell as well as the likes of AB de Villiers, Alex Hales, Ravi Bopara, Rilee Rossouw and Mashrafe Mortaza.

All five can’t be picked on the same day, as the Riders will look for control with the ball, too, as they enter the tournament as favourites.

To balance out the batting might, they have Mashrafe, Cottrell, Abul Hasan and Shafiul Islam in the pace attack, as well as the left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam and offspinner Sohag Gazi.

Jamaica Scorpions captain Andre Russell, meanwhile, will turn out for last years’ runners-up Dhaka Dynamites alongside Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Shakib Al Hasan.

Seven teams will take part in the tournament which will comprises 42 games in the league stage.

The top four will then qualify to the playoffs from where the top two sides will advance to the final.

Oshane Thomas, Rovman Powell, Fabian Allen, Evin Lewis, Andre Fletcher, Nicholas Pooran, Carlos Braithwaite and Sherfane Rutherford are the other West Indian players in the league.

The full list of participating teams are Rangpur Riders, Dhaka Dynamites, Rajshahi Kings, Chittagong Vikings, Comilla Victorians, Khulna Titans, Sylhet Sixers.