We Will Enter Into A New Contract With The Players: BCB Chief After Shakib Al Hasan's Decision To Skip National Duty For IPL

After Kolkata Knight Riders snapped Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for INR 3.2 crores, he decided to skip the home Test series against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka will tour Bangladesh to play a couple of Test matches in April – a series that will likely clash with IPL 2021. With Shakib Al Hasan preferring the marquee T20 league over national duty, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will enter into a new contract.

The debate of franchise cricket over international assignment has resurfaced after Shakib Al Hasan decided to play IPL instead of for Bangladesh. Furthermore, seam bowler Mustafizur Rahman will likely skip the national duties too, as Rajasthan Royals pouched him for INR 1 crore. The same could happen with English cricketers as well, with Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes, and Jos Buttler as they might not be available to play the home Tests for IPL knockouts.

In the wake of Shakib Al Hasan opting to play IPL, BCB chief Nazmul Hassan said that they would enter into a new contract with the players where they have to specify which format they are available to play. Nazmul Hasan highlighted that the cricketers have to be crystal clear about their availability so that they are not kept forcibly.

“We will enter into a new contact with the players. It will be mentioned clearly who wants to play which format. If they have any other engagement, they have to be clear about their availability. We are confirming it in writing, so that nobody can say that they haven’t been allowed or we kept them forcibly,” BCB boss said as quoted by India Today.

He was among the players I expected would take charge of the difficult situation: BCB Chief

BCB chief further said that they don’t want any players to play the game out of force and want them to do it passionately, keeping Shakib Al Hasan interested. Hassan revealed that they expected the ace all-rounder to take charge of the challenging situation and were disappointed to know his decision.

“Couldn’t we have stopped Shakib from going (to the IPL)? He may have played but we don’t want that. We want only those to play, who really love the game. We have tried to keep him interested. When Shakib had declined to play tests three years ago, we made him the captain. I didn’t like the timing of it. He was among the players I expected would take charge of the difficult situation. It was disappointing,” he added.

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