BPL organisers back Asif, Amir's inclusion

BPL Governing Council member secretary says the players have completed their punishment for their wrong deeds

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Governing Council member secretary Ismail Haydar Mollick defended the decision to include Pakistan's bowlers Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Amir in the league.

“They had been punished for their wrong deeds and we have enlisted them after they managed the permission of International Cricket Council (ICC)," said Mollick, quoted by bdcricteam.com.

He further stated that the BPL has earned a bright name in the cricketing fraternity after punishing the accused players in the match-fixing scandals.

“During the Indian Premier League, 122 cricketers had been accused of match fixing scandals. But we are the sole authority to punish our cricketers in that regard when the accusation arrived against local cricketers in Bangladesh Premier League," added Mollick.

"Not only that we postponed a season’s tournament for that also. We have gained a lot of appreciation from the international cricket community for that."

Read: Amir fined 150% match fee for verbal spats

Asif and Amir are two of the three players named in the official list of players for the third season of the BPL including English cricketer Darren Stevens who were caught and punished for match-fixing.

The ICC gave the aforementioned players the clean chit to play international cricket after they had served their bans. But the respective boards' permission is also sorted for the players to represent any teams in any of the leagues that they hope to play in.

Earlier, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) confirmed they had signed Salman Butt and paceman Asif, who were last month relieved of sanctions over spot fixing.

Former champions said Butt and Asif will feature in their team in the first-class tournament starting in various cities from October 26.

WAPDA chairman Zafar Mahmood confirmed the signing.

“I was told of Butt and Asif’s availability so I gave the sports department the go ahead and they have signed them,” Mahmood told AFP.

Butt and Asif are undergoing a rehabilitation programme under the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) since being relieved of the sanctions imposed on a five-year spot-fixing ban.