BANGLADESH SAYS NO PSL BAR FOR SENIOR PLAYERS

Bangladesh are unlikely to stop its senior cricketers from participating in the maiden Pakistan Super League despite heightening diplomatic tensions between the two countries, said officials of the Bangladesh Cricket Board on Saturday.

Four Bangladeshi cricketers – Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman – have been picked by different franchises of the Twenty20 league.

All-rounder Shakib and wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim were signed by Karachi Kings while opener Tamim and paceman Mustafiz joined Peshwar Zalmi and Lahore Qualandars respectively.

BCB director and media chief Jalal Yunus told cricwizz on Saturday that apart from Mustafiz they have no reservation about any other players playing in the league, scheduled in UAE from February 4-22.

“We have some fitness concerns about Mustafiz,” said Jalal. “So, we may not allow him playing in PSL.”

Jalal said the reason of holding Mustafiz back is purely cricketing and politics has nothing to do with it.

“In this age of professional cricket, we must not discourage our players from playing in the foreign leagues,” he said. “But Mustafiz’s case is different. He is very young and we need to protect him.

“Our fast bowlers suffered from overwork in the past. Mashrafe (Mortaza) had lot problems in the early stage of his career because of this. Taskin (Ahmed) was sidelined for more than a year after playing in the Under-19 World Cup in 2012.

“So, we need to be careful. We have lot of matches coming up. We have to see if Mustafiz can sustain the pressure,” said Jalal, adding that the decision will be finalised after BCB analyses the fitness reports of the bowler.

“I don’t think the others players (Shakib, Mushfiq and Tamim) have similar issues. They are mature enough to handle the pressure and we, at the BCB, believe if they play in the PSL they will get valuable match practice ahead of the World Twenty20.

“It would be a stupid thing if we drag politics into it.”

BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury said they have a cordial relationship with Pakistan Cricket Board and it will always remain the same.

“Any decision that we will take regarding our players’ participation in PSL, it must have a cricketing reason,” said Chowdhury.

Diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have soured recently after Islamabad protested against the November execution of two opposition leaders for war crimes during the 1971 independence war.

Pakistan asked Bangladesh to withdraw one of its diplomats from Islamabad, Dhaka last week in apparent retaliation after the expulsion of a Pakistani envoy, who allegedly funded a suspected Islamic extremist on trial for espionage.

via : cricwizz