Bangladesh’s upcoming tour of India is in doubt after Bangladesh cricketers went on a strike from all cricket-playing activities until the country’s board accepts their 11-point request list.
This claim was confirmed by senior players, including Shakib al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, during an impromptu press conference on Monday at the academy ground in Mirpur. The press conference was attended by Mahumudllah Riyadh, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Arafat Sunny, Junaid Siddique, Enamul Haque Jnr, Taskin Ahmed, Elias Sunny, Farhad Reza, and others.
Bangladesh is scheduled to tour India for a three-match Twenty20 International series and a two-Test series, which is scheduled to start on November 3. Among their major demands were better payment structure and practice facilities in the Dhaka Premier League, National Cricket League, and Bangladesh Premier League, besides others.
BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said, “We just came to know about it we will discuss it on the board and try to resolve it as soon as possible.”
He added, “I don’t think it is anything like revolt. They are yet to tell us anything formally, but we are looking into the matter.”
After Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh in the one-off Test recently, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) implemented a rule, mandating every Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) team to include at least one leg-spinner in their playing eleven. The BCB also suspended head coaches of two teams for not following the order.
After losing to Afghanistan, experts said that the lack of practice of Bangladeshi batsmen playing against wrist spinners resulted in that loss.
However, the new ruling did not go down well with the Test and T20 captain of Bangladesh, Shakib-Al-Hasan, who feels this rule will stifle the cricketers.
“For so many years we couldn’t select a leg-spinner for the senior team, but suddenly we made plans to include seven leg-spinners in the BPL. This decision does come as a bit of a surprise, but I would still state that the board has taken a decision that it thinks is good,” said Shakib.
