Six Bangladesh players - Habibul Bashar, Aftab Ahmed, Shahriar Nafees, Farhad Reza, Dhiman Ghosh and Mosharraf Hossain - have informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board they intend to retire from international and domestic cricket. The news, announced by the BCB, follows a report in the Bangladesh daily Prothom Alo which said 14 players, including the six mentioned above, were set to join the Indian Cricket League. ICL officials contacted by Cricinfo said nothing had been finalised as yet.
Thanks to the power of the BCCI, playing for the ICL pretty much means a ban from any other forms of cricket, but in this case the money is talking - the players concerned will earn a lot more playing for the ICL than they ever would playing for Bangladesh.
That leaves the Bangladesh side essentially having to rebuild from the ground up (especially if, as expected, more players follow the ones already announced) - sound familiar? As a Zimbabwe fan, this is good news - we have two series against Bangladesh coming up over the next year or so, and facing a weakened side can only help our cause. For a variety of other reasons, though, I'm sad to see this happen...
Bashar was finished anyway. I liked him, and I think he still had a role to to play in the Test side, but I think the BCB were wanting to look to the future. Aftab Ahmed has been in and out of the side for years now, a handy player but he isn't a great loss. Haven't heard of Mosharraf, he must be a Bangladesh A player.
Losing Nafees is massive. I think he scored a big century against Australia in that Test they almost one, and he certainly punished Zimbabwe a few times in the ODI's. He was a genuinely good opener, but I think Bangladeshi fans and selectors were losing faith in him because he was so inconsistent. Even they would admit he is a big loss though.
Ghosh was their wicket keeper I think? Relatively new, but they haven't had a good wicket keeper since Khaled Mahmud (??) was at his peak so this makes their keeping stocks even thinner.
And finally Reza, the allrounder. He was going to make it big in the coming years, so to lose him will expose their lower middle order I think.
This is great for Zimbabwe, but this will be crippling for Bangladesh. I guess the only thing they can be grateful for is that Ashraful and Mashrafe didn't quit, they are the key players.
Edit: Add Alok Kapali to the list, I rate him as an allrounder so that's another loss!
On September,2008 14 players of Bangladesh went to play in the Indian Cricket League(ICL) keeping their international cricket future in doubt.They were asked to talk with BCB but none came.After that,they were banned by BCB for 10 years.Soon it was emerged that they received the calling letter from BCB after 3 days from the due meeting time.All the players are playing in the 9th and latest team of ICL named 'Dhaka Warriors'.Dhaka Warriors consits of all the 14 players of Bangladesh.
Lets look at the DHAKA WARRIORS team:
All the players here had problem with the Cricket Board & had several reasons of joining ICL.Besides the reason of getting a large amount of money,they told many reasons to quit.If they played in the international side regularly,they would get the same amount of money.So,they really had other reasons to participate in ICL.Amoung them,Shahriar Nafees,Aftab Ahmed&Alok Kapali is the big loss.
Habibul Bashar,is the captain of this side.He complained that he was called 'An Old Boy' while practising by the coach.Even he wasnt allowed to practise in the ground & was compelled to leave the ground immediately.He has the best test batting average of around 30 having 24 fifties and 3 centuries for Bangladesh.Though he wasnt in good form,but he was the best test batsman of Ban and the most successful captain also.In his captaincy period,Ban was started to grow as a team.He should be given chance&opportunity by BCB like Micheal Vaughan is getting from ECB right now.
Shahriar Nafees,the vice captain of Dhaka Warriors is a big loss.I think he had a communication gap with BCB.A player of Dhaka Warriors(I think its Nafees) complained that he was dropped from the side&why he being dropped wasnt told.The coach & the captain Ashraful wasnt used to talk with him.He cant play cricket in this type of environment.He has 31 batting average in ODI and 27 batting average in tests.He has 4 ODI centuries
(118*in Harare vs ZIM,123*in Jaipur vs ZIM,108*vs BER,104*vs CAN)and a test century(138 vs AUS in Fatullah).He also scored 75 vs AUS in the Natwest Series 2005 in Eng in his debute series.He scored more than 1000 ODI runs in 2006.Some of his notable test performances are 79 vs AUS in CDS in 2006,64 vs SL in 3rd Test,Kandy in 2007 and 69 vs SOU in the 2nd test,CDS in 2008.
Aftab Ahmed,is a big loss.He was in and out in the squad for his finger injury.He has 14 fifties in 80 ODIs.He didnt say anything clearly because of joining ICL.He was injured bafore joining ICL.
Alok Kapali,came back in the Bangladesh national side hitting 115 against India in the Asia Cup.But he wasnt given a contract.He showed this reason of quiting.
Dhiman Ghosh,in my opinion one of the best wicket keeper of Bangladesh and gained much popularity against AUS in AUS for his good wicket-keeping& Musharraf Hussain showed economical family problem etc.Nazimuddin& Farhad Reza didnt show any reason.
Tapash Baisya,was a new bowl bowller of Bangladesh.He was left out from the team in the World Cup 2007 because of injury.He complained that BCB didnt take care of him and wasnt given such facilities to get underway in the international scene.
It is also known that Mohammad Rafique had also problem with the selection panel.So,he retired in March 2008.
Mohammad Sharif and Monjurul Islam also didnt show any reason.Mahbubul Karim & Golam Mabud is the two only players who didnt represent Bangladesh in the international arena.
Performance of Dhaka Warriors:
Dhaka Warriors became 5th amoung 9 teams in the T-20 challenge of ICL.They won 4 out of their 8 matches.The other four losses was also reasonable as they fought hard.They were once 2nd in the table winning 3 matches in a row.Dhaka Warriors is a popular team of ICL and gained much popularity amoung the locals.Bashars captaincy & the team spirit of Dhaka Warriors is a matter of charm.Alok Kapali made the maiden and yet only the ICL T-20 century and the 2nd of leading run scorer of ICL season 2.Tony Greig,Dean Jones,Pat Symcox is really impressed with Kapali so as the other players of Dhaka Warriors like Nafees,Rafique,Nazimuddin.Bowllers like Bond,Gillespie,Tuffey,Streak was also strugglled against the Dhaka Warriors batsmen.Shahriar Nafees is also amoung the leading run scorers.Nazimuddin also showed his batting agression.In the bowllong side,Musharraf Hussain is amoung the leading wicket takers.Mohammad Rafique also took wickets&maintained the run rate.Alok Kapali 2 times,Nazimuddin 2 times,Shahriar Nafees 1 time and Mahbubul Karim 1 time was the man of the match.
Some people told that Dhaka Warriors wont be able to play good cricket in ICL.But it was prooved wrong.Dhaka Warriors just missed the semi-final at a little distance.Players have gone to ICL to improve their game also.ICL gave the opportunity to make a individual team of Bangladesh which IPL wont do surely.The success of Dhaka Warriors is brought by the player,practise and match improve facilities provided by ICL.Dhaka Warriors captain Habibul Bashar always tells that 'DHAKA WARRIORS is a team of Bangladesh'and wants the support from home.
Conclusion:
ICL doesnt exist the retired players or those players who r at the end of their international career.They have the young talents of India specially those who doesnt get such facilities.Most of the players of 'Lahore Badshahs'(the other foreign team of ICL except Dhaka Warriors)are young&they have many many cricket left in them.The experienced players are there to help the young cricketers.By playing with the experienced contenders,the young players can really learn many things about the game of cricket.Competative cricket is played in the ICL,which isnt surely not available in Bangladesh.BCCI,the Indian Cricket Board is against ICL for their internal problem which is created for Indian cricket match telecasting business.But Cricket mustnt be hampered for this reason.There is no such difference between ICL&IPL.ICL should get ICC approval.It will be good for cricket or the cricket and the players all over the world will be hampered.
Good news for Bangladesh. BCB declared that if any ICL Bangladesh player cuts his all ties with ICL till 15th June this year, he will be allowed to play official domestic cricket in Bangladesh this year and will be considered for selecting in the national side from January 1st next year. That means they have to pass a 6 months of 'Cooling Period' before being selected for the national side. That announcement came after the similar kind of announcement declared by BCCI on the prospect of Indian ICL players and cricinfo gave light that already 40 Indian ICL players have resigned from ICL including some coaches and team staffs. The departure of Deep Dasgupta, Abhishek Jhunjhunwala and Hemang Badani is confirmed.
Former captain of Bangladesh, Habibul Bashar is the 1st one of 'Dhaka Warriors' who has cut his all ties with ICL. Bashar still wants to play for the national side. He has a test average of over 30. Before considering him for national selection, he has to proove his fitness and form in the domestic circuit.
Sources say that; following Habibul Bashar, Aftab Ahmed, Alok Kapali, Mosharraf Hossain, Nazimuddin and Tapash Baisya will also end their stint with ICL. Dhaka Warriors is divided into two parts, one wants to return and other doesn't. The second team is lead by Shahriar Nafees. It seems that he doesn't want to return.
Excellent news for Bangladesh cricket prospective. All the players of 'Dhaka Warriors' have resigned their contract with ICL. They all can join in the domestic cricket after submitting the NOC to BCB. They have to pass a six month cooling period to proove their form and fitness before considering for the national side. The cooling period will be over by December 31, 2009
The Bangladesh players with the ICL have severed ties with the league and made themselves available for the national team. The players - who form the Dhaka Warriors side - are expected to visit the Bangladesh Cricket Board office in a couple of days.
The exodus further undermines the ICL, which lost 79 Indians and several other foreign players after the national boards, led by the BCCI, announced an amnesty for players who cut ties with the league.
Most players are believed to have written to the ICL on Thursday and Friday seeking a release; three team members - Mohammad Rafique, Aftab Ahmed and Mahbubul Karim - were expected to do so later on Friday. The former national captain Habibul Bashar became the first player to break away from the ICL on May 17th.
Mohammad Jalal Yunus, a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) member and chairman of its media committee, confirmed the exodus. "They did contact us and let us know about their decision," Yunus told Cricinfo. "The players are expected to come to the board office in a day or two with the letters."
The board, he said, had reminded the players of the June 15 deadline for submitting NOCs from the ICL. "They have to submit the copy of the NOC to the cricket board," he said. "Once everything is clear they can join domestic cricket."
The BCB has set December 31, 2009 as the cooling off period before the players are eligible for national selection. "Most of the players are still good," Yunus said. "Once they prove their fitness and performance in the domestic circuit till December 31, they will be up for national selection. There won't be any discrimination against them from us. Maybe they didn't know the consequences then [when they joined ICL]. We welcome them with open arms. I am hopeful they won't repeat their mistake."
Alok Kapali, one of those who joined the ICL, said it didn't long for the players to come to the decision after the mass exodus by the Indians.
"After the 79 Indian players left, it was an easy decision for us. We were left with an uncertain future with ICL and most of us are young and have a cricketing future to look forward to," Kapali told Cricinfo. "Bashar left first, of course, and when the Indian players left, the rest of us had a meeting with each other and decided to get back to Bangladesh cricket.
"We are looking forward to resuming our careers with Bangladesh and are happy that they have welcomed us back. Our average age is 24-26 and we were not sure where the ICL was going. We would like to play in the IPL and hopefully we will get a chance."
The Dhaka Warriors team was formed in September last year, before the 2008-09 season of the ICL. The BCB responded by banning all 13 players for ten years.
The list of players who have left ICL is : Aftab Ahmed, Alok Kapali, Dhiman Ghosh, Farhad Reza, Golam Mabud, Mahbubul Karim, Manjural Islam, Mohammad Rafique, Mohammad Sharif, Mosharraf Hossain, Nazimuddin, Shahriar Nafees, Tapash Baisya.
Sriram Veera is a staff writer at Cricinfo
As far as the IPL contract is concerned, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has already contacted Alok Kapali and told him about their intention to take him in the team for the next season. Other players like Shahriar Nafees (I think, he is a fantastic player) and Alok Kapali (Hard hitting batsmen) also have the possibility of getting an IPL contract, I think.
