Dhaka: West Indies dashing batsman Chris Gayle arrived here on Friday afternoon to play for Chittagong Vikings in the seven-team 4th Bangladesh Premier League.

The Caribbean cricketer landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by an Emirates Airlines flight at 4:55pm.

Gayle will start his BPL mission appearing for Vikings in their 9th league match against table topper Rangpur Riders on Sunday. He will join the Vikings squad and practice session on Saturday morning at Mirpur Cricket Academy Ground. 

Gayle is the 5th foreign player to play for Vikings in this BPL edition after West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith, Pakistani batsman Shoaib Malik, Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and Pakistani pace bowler Imran Khan (Jr).

In the last three edition of BPL, Gayle played for franchised teams Dhaka Gladiators, Barisal Burners and Barisal Bulls respectively where he scored 541 runs in 10 matches, including three centuries and one half century, at an average of 77.28 runs.

Vikings are currently in the 4th slot in the points table securing three successive victories at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong after four consecutive defeats. They have now eight points from eight outings having four wins and four loses in their bag.

Starting their campaign with a 29-run win over Comilla Victorians in the tournament opener, Vikings lost to Rangpur Riders by nine wickets, Khulna Titans by four runs, Barisal Bulls by seven wickets and Dhaka Dynamites by 19 runs. 

They returned to winning streak beating Rajshshi Kings by 19 runs and then outplayed Comilla Victorians by six wickets and Barisal Bulls by 78 runs.