Durbar Rajshahi stirred a new controversy in the 11th edition of the BPL by playing an all-local eleven as their foreign players reportedly boycotted the match due to a non-payment issue in their two-run dramatic victory over table-toppers Rangpur Riders at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Sunday.
Rajshahi posted a mere 119-9 and seemed to have no hope of clinching their second consecutive victory over Rangpur, who were on an unbeaten run of eight matches before succumbing to the same opposition in the previous match.
But after Taskin—who first equalled and then got past Shakib Al Hasan in the record books as the highest wicket-taker in a single edition of the tournament (23)—made the early breakthrough, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury started the demolishing job with the help of Mohor Sheikh, as Rangpur became 30-6 in the ninth over. Left-arm pacer Mrittunjoy had four of those wickets.
They lost 7-49, but then Mohammad Saifuddin and Rakibul Hasan instilled some hope in Rangpur by taking the game deep in their 42-run partnership.
Needing 25 off the last over, Saifuddin hit Jishan Alam 6, 6, dot, dot, four, and six to fall short by just two runs.
Mrittunjoy finished with 4-18, while Taskin and Mohor each took two wickets.
Earlier, Rajshahi—who were already in the talk due to their non-payment issue—arrived at the match venue without any of their foreign recruits.
According to the rules, a team must include a minimum of two overseas players in the playing eleven.
But at the toss, Rajshahi captain Taskin Ahmed laughingly said that they had a few changes as ‘no foreigners’ were playing.
In their previous match, Rajshahi had Muhammad Haris from Pakistan and Ryan Burl from Zimbabwe.
Why there were no overseas players in the eleven, Taskin didn’t confirm that. BCB, at that time, didn’t clear it either about how Rajshahi were playing, bending a clear rule.
Then at the start of the match, which was half an hour after the toss, BCB provided a press release citing the ‘special approval’ to Rajshahi.
‘The Durbar Rajshahi team has applied to the BPL Technical Committee for special approval to field a team consisting solely of Bangladeshi players for today’s match against the Rangpur Riders due to the non-availability of overseas players,’ read the press release.
‘After a review of the request and in accordance with the provisions outlined in Clause 1.2.8 of the Match Playing Conditions of BPL 2024-25, the Technical Committee has granted approval for Durbar Rajshahi to field a team consisting of only Bangladeshi players for this match,’ it added.
Earlier, Anamul Haque, the wicketkeeper-batter who captained them in the first eight matches, posted a photo on Facebook with the caption ‘All is well,’ showing the local players who presumably had just received their payments hours before the match.
But it seemed that the foreign players didn’t make the cut in that recipient list of payments and eventually boycotted the match. According to the rules, they should’ve given 75 per cent of their payment during the tournament.
It was also reported that Rajshahi changed their team hotel due to some non-payment issue before this match.
After being asked about the matter, BCB director Iftekhar Ahmed said that they should take hard steps.
‘Soon there will be a decision on the issue. What decision will be taken? That I can’t say. But a hard decision should be taken,’ Iftekhar told the reporters in Mirpur.
Meanwhile, in a letter sent to the CEO of the BCB, the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh has asked to pay the cricketers as soon as possible.
