PCB bars players from Bangladesh T20 league
Bangladesh to go ahead without Pakistani players.
A file photo of Imran Nazir from the first season of BPL. PHOTO: BPLT20/FILE
DHAKA:
Bangladesh cricket chiefs said Wednesday that Pakistan had refused to release any of its players for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) which begins this week after a planned bilateral series had to be scrapped.
Pakistan had been due to host Bangladesh for a Twenty20 game and a 50-over match in Lahore this month in what would have been its first home internationals since a deadly attack on the Sri Lankan team bus nearly four years ago.
But the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cancelled the tour, saying Pakistan was not safe for its players.
According to a BCB spokesperson, Pakistan has now responded by preventing any of its stars from competing in the BPL which begins Thursday.
"The chief executive officer of PCB called our CEO today and informed him that they won't allow their players to play in the BPL until we send our team to their country," spokesman Jalal Yunus told AFP.
"We've now decided to host the event without Pakistani players," he said, adding the BPL's seven franchises would now find replacements for the 26 Pakistani players they bought in the auction last month.
The move represents a major blow for the second edition of the BPL since Pakistani cricketers have a big following in Bangladesh.
More than 50 Pakistani players took part in the auction for the second edition of BPL, with opening batsman Imran Nazir fetching $280,000.
Last year more than 20 Pakistani players took part in the inaugural edition, with all-rounder Shahid Afridi sold for the highest fee of $700,000.
BCB spokesman Yunus said Bangladesh has not ruled out touring Pakistan in the coming months but wanted to reassess the security situation before sending a team.
Bangladesh was also due to tour Pakistan last April, but the tour was blocked by the Dhaka High Court on security grounds.
PCB statement
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson Nadeem Sarwar on Wednesday said that the BCB should not have directly approached Pakistani players for the BPL, but they should have done it through the PCB.
Bangladesh cricket chiefs said Wednesday that Pakistan had refused to release any of its players for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) which begins this week after a planned bilateral series had to be scrapped.
Pakistan had been due to host Bangladesh for a Twenty20 game and a 50-over match in Lahore this month in what would have been its first home internationals since a deadly attack on the Sri Lankan team bus nearly four years ago.
But the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cancelled the tour, saying Pakistan was not safe for its players.
According to a BCB spokesperson, Pakistan has now responded by preventing any of its stars from competing in the BPL which begins Thursday.
"The chief executive officer of PCB called our CEO today and informed him that they won't allow their players to play in the BPL until we send our team to their country," spokesman Jalal Yunus told AFP.
"We've now decided to host the event without Pakistani players," he said, adding the BPL's seven franchises would now find replacements for the 26 Pakistani players they bought in the auction last month.
The move represents a major blow for the second edition of the BPL since Pakistani cricketers have a big following in Bangladesh.
More than 50 Pakistani players took part in the auction for the second edition of BPL, with opening batsman Imran Nazir fetching $280,000.
Last year more than 20 Pakistani players took part in the inaugural edition, with all-rounder Shahid Afridi sold for the highest fee of $700,000.
BCB spokesman Yunus said Bangladesh has not ruled out touring Pakistan in the coming months but wanted to reassess the security situation before sending a team.
Bangladesh was also due to tour Pakistan last April, but the tour was blocked by the Dhaka High Court on security grounds.
PCB statement
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson Nadeem Sarwar on Wednesday said that the BCB should not have directly approached Pakistani players for the BPL, but they should have done it through the PCB.