Bangladesh cricketers go on strike with 11 demands, India tour under threat

Bangladesh are scheduled to play a three-match T20I series in India followed by a two-match Test series. The tour gets underway on Sunday, November 3 with the 20-overs fixtures at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The Tigers, led by Shakib Al Hasan have already announced their squad for the shortest format. In the meantime, it has been learned that the tour has come under the clouds.

Earlier on Monday, news surrounding the Bangladesh cricketers holding a press conference in national capital Dhaka came to the fore. Senior players like Shakib, Mahmudullah Riyad and Mushfiqur Rahim were present during the interaction. The cricketers announced that they won’t take part in any cricket related activities unless a 11-point demand made to the Bangladesh Cricket Board is met.

“We just came to know about it we will discuss it in the board and try to resolve it as soon as possible. I don’t think it is anything like revolt. They are yet to tell us anything formally, but we are looking into the matter,” Nizamudin Chowdhury, the Chief Executive of the BCB was quoted as saying in Cricbuzz.

No NCL for Bangladesh players

It also means that they won’t be taking any further part in the ongoing National Cricket League (NCL) as well as in the upcoming camp for the tour of India. Earlier, the BCB made it mandatory for the players to play the domestic league in order to remain eligible for selection for the Tests, set to start on November 14 with Indore and Kolkata being the venues.

Back in September, Bangladesh slumped to a shambolic loss in the one-off Test versus Afghanistan at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The defeat has set the cat amongst the pigeons in the Tigers’ camp. Even on a number of instances, Shakib questioned the administration of cricket in the country and expressed his displeasure towards the manner cricket is being looked after in Bangladesh.

Here are few of the demands

Dhaka Premier League, the premier domestic tournament in Bangladesh, should not have salary cap

BPL should be conducted in franchise-style instead of the revised BBL-type format. Recently the board had decided to do away with the franchise-based format after a fallout with the franchises, and turn to the Big Bash League model.

Local players should have remuneration equal to foreign players.

Dismantling of the current Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) and have fresh elections to avoid conflict of interest.

More players should be in the central contracts list, and the need for higher salaries for them.

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