Sports desk: Bangladesh senior national players raised their voices against inclusion of five-foreign players in playing XI ahead of the upcoming Twenty20 tournament of the 2017 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
The BPL-5 is scheduled to get underway in November 4 with the participation of the eight franchisee teams, the highest number of teams in BPL history.
There was an opportunity of including five foreign-players in the playing XI in the first two editions. Even such opportunities were absent in the last two versions of 2015 and 2016 as the BPL governing council brought changes in their rules so that more number of local players get chance to play. But this time the council will seek the opinions from the franchisees so that they could increase the glamour and commercial value of the BPL by increasing the number of foreign players.
Ismail Haider Mallick, member secretary of the BPL Governing Council said that they have plans but yet to take any final decision over the matter.
“We want to take the opinion from the franchisees is there any chance of including five foreign players in the playing XI in the upcoming BPL. We will deliver our final decision after talking with the franchisees though we are yet to finalise the matter,” said IH Mallick.
Mallick informed further that the issue of the BPL icon players will be fixed on July 24. After rejoining Sylhet, the number of franchisee teams have been eight in the forthcoming BPL. Last year a total of five icons along with two A+ category players including Sabbir Rahman and Soumya Sarkar have been with their respective team. This year the names of icon players might be increased what will be settled on Monday.
Even though the matter is yet to finalise, it is now on the agenda and is being discussed here and there what makes the senior players apprehensive.
“The matter has not been finalized yet. I have been playing for the national team over decay-long times. As a senior player if the board seeks to our opinion I like other players will then voice against it” said Tamim Iqbal.
“I meanwhile told the authorities of my franchisee team so that they do not give their opinion in favour of playing five-foreign players in the playing XI in the forthcoming BPL,” Iqbal told media.
Bangladesh one-day captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza echoed the same sentiment, stating that BPL will be a solid ground for the local players to showcase their skills and performance before stepping into the national fold.
“BPL is a big scope for producing more back-up players. If we look at the last four editions we will get to see that the team who did well whose local players performed well,” Mashrafe Bin Mortaza said.
“If the number of foreign players would increase, they will then be determiner of the win or loss of the team. The increase of a foreign player means a local player will play less what I don’t support,” Mashrafe told reporters.
“If the board wants to know my opinion then I will say not to increase the number of foreign players,” he added.
BPL 2015 champion Comilla Victorians roped in the hard-hitting opening batsman Tamim Iqbal in place of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who will represent Rangpur Riders under the new ownership.
The authorities of both the teams vow to form a strong and well-balanced team and could fight for championship.
