ICL rebels get 10-year ban

Bangladeshi cricketers suspended for joining Dhaka side

Last updated: 18th September 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

ICL rebels get 10-year ban

Bashar: 10-year ban

It would be an unbearable pain for me to be cast as a banned cricketer after playing for my country for so many years.

Habibur Bashar
Quotes of the week

Related links

Teams

Also see

Habibur Bashar and 12 fellow Bangladeshi cricketers have been left in shock by the news they have all been given a 10-year ban for joining the ICL.

The BCB (Bangladeshi Cricket Board) have brought in the rule to keep in line with other countries administrators, who consider the ICL a rebel league.

The ICL had just announced the Dhaka Warriors as a new team for the up-coming season - with the side containing 11 current or former internationals, including Bangladeshi leading wicket taker Mohammad Rafique and all-rounder Alok Kapali.

And Bashar, the countries most successful Test batsman ever, told the Dhaka-based Daily Star "It is really unexpected. The 10-year suspension is too harsh. I can't believe it.

"We may try to meet with the board officials to explain everything."

Reports are claiming that each player will be paid $200,000 for a three-year period, but this has yet to be confirmed or denied by the ICL.

Crime

Bashar has said he doesn't want to be labelled a rebel player, insisting he just wants to play cricket.

He said: "I think the people in this country will not misunderstand us because we did not commit any crime, rather we just want to play cricket.

"It would be an unbearable pain for me to be cast as a banned cricketer after playing for my country for so many years.

"There were reasons for me to take such a decision. I didn't consider only money because I know how big it is to represent the national team."

It leaves the squad in disarray ahead of the upcoming home Test series against New Zealand but Black Cats skipper Daniel Vettori has refused to take victory as a given.

He told The New Zealand Herald "The expectations are on us to win and that's fair enough.

"You have to give Bangladesh due respect. I'm not going to sit here and say they're not good enough. They need to be given opportunities to try and progress."