Bangladesh tour of India under threat as players go on strike

Sport360 staff 17:31 21/10/2019
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  • Bangladesh T20I and Test skipper Shakib Al Hasan.

    Bangladesh’s cricketers have announced that they’ll not be participating in any cricketing activity till the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) accepts their demands and improves the state of the game in the country.

    The players released a list of 11 demands, which includes reverting the Bangladesh Premier League to its old franchise-based format, resignation of the president of the Cricketers Welfare Association, the removal of the Dhaka Premier League salary cap, match-fee hikes at first-class level, increase in the number of domestic tournaments and allowing players to play more than two overseas franchise-based leagues.

    Senior players like Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim were all present at the press conference along with a band of first-class cricketers.

    “We did not include Under- 19 team here as they are preparing for the World Cup. Everybody else is here and we know everybody is with us. We are not going to involve in cricket unless our demand is fulfilled we are not coming back to cricket,” Shakib said.

    ”Beside age level cricketers 19, 17 and 15, everybody in national team and domestic cricket is involved here and its starts from today. This is applicable from domestic cricket and first-class cricket to international cricket,” he added.

    Shakib had earlier voiced his concerns over the low remuneration for the first-class players in the country and the salary cap introduced by the board to the Dhaka Premier League.

    “Everything is included. Apart from the Under-19s and the other age-group teams, all first-class and national teams are included. From today. From the National Cricket League to first-class, national team preparations, internationals…everything is included,” the all-rounder stated.

    The 32-year-old also declared that as and when the players’ demands are met, normal service would resume immediately as the goal is to improve quality of cricket in the nation.

    “When the demands are met, normal service will resume. All of us want cricket to improve. Some of us will play for another ten years, some for four-five years, but we want to create a good environment for the players who will come after us, so Bangladesh cricket can move forward.”

    Shakib clarified that women cricketers were not included because of how quickly everything has transpired over the past few days and that they were welcome to join. “We haven’t been able to include the women cricketers here, because it was done in a rush. If they have any demands, they are most welcome to join us. I am sure they have grievances too. If they come to us and join us, we will be able to put forward their demands too.”

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