The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchises are hopeful that the services of the Pakistani players will be available till February 8 or 9 despite the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) asking them to return home by February 2 in order to make themselves available for the upcoming Pakistan Super League, scheduled from February 13.
Cricbuzz understands that the PCB had already asked their players to inform to their respective BPL franchises that they will not be available after February 2 as they need to report to their respective PSL franchises.
A top official of Bangladesh Cricket Board, on request of anonymity, confirmed the development to Cricbuzz. “The Pakistan Cricket Board have an agreement with the PSL franchises where it is stated that the players will be available in their respective camps 15 days before the tournament and if that is taken into consideration they should have left earlier but due to the relationship with the two boards, PCB allowed their cricketers to stay in BPL and return on February 2.”
The official added that it the matter of the player availability now needs to be sorted out between the PSL franchises are their respective players.
BPL franchises were struggling to sign overseas T20 stars for the ongoing edition of the tournament as the dates were clashing with Australia’s Big Bash League along with UAE’s ILT20 and SA20. The availability of Pakistani players in the BPL came after PCB canceled the T20I series against the West Indies, which was a huge boost for the league.
The BPL franchise teamed up with a Pakistani cricketer he believed would be available until February 8 or 9 as per the agreement before PCB directed him to return by February 2. .
Comilla Victorians head coach Mohammed Salahuddin told his Cricbuzz that foreign cricketers will be able to contact their respective PSL franchises to complete his duties in the BPL. The cricketer said he hopes to stay beyond his February 2nd date.
“Their franchise asked them to come back by February 2nd, but they are going to stay here until February 8th. and nothing more than talking to the franchise and asking them to stay here longer. Shanian Thaneem, CEO of Rangpur Riders, said the Pakistani players are ready to get permission to stay with the franchise until 9 February. “I knew they had to move out on February 2nd, but I don’t think they got permission from the (PSL) franchise and I’m going to stay here until February 9th. said Shanian.
Pakistani players in the ongoing BPL:
Dhaka Dominators: Shaan Masood, Ahmed Shehzad and Salman Irshad
Chattogram Challengers: Usman Khan and Khawaja Nafay
Fortune Barishal: Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Haider Ali
Khulna Tigers: Wahab Riaz, Azam Khan and Amad Butt
Sylhet Strikers: Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Haris and Imad Wasim
Comilla Victorians: Mohammad Rizwan, Hasan Ali, Khushdil Shah, Abrar Ahmed and Naseem Shah
Rangpur Riders: Shoaib Malik, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Nawaz