Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan Among Big Names Sent By BCCI For Asia XI T20Is

The BCCI has decided to send big names for the games between Asia XI and World XI in Bangladesh.  Bangladesh will host two T20Is to celebrate the 100th birthday of their Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The games will be played on March 18 and 21 and will have international status.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has decided to send the big names including skipper Virat Kohli for the much-awaited games. According to IANS, Sourav Ganguly has sent the names of Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav and Shikhar Dhawan to the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

The report further claimed that Ganguly had sent the names to BCB after the availability of players were checked. However, it is interesting to note that all the players will be available for the games despite India having an ODI series against South Africa which ends on March 18.

“Ganguly sent in the names to the BCB after we checked on the availability of the players. Kohli, Shami, Dhawan and Kuldeep will represent us in the Asia XI team. It has been a while since we sent the names because the Bangladesh board needed the list from the BCCI to be able to prepare the Asian squad,” the source said.

Initially there were serious doubts on who all would be part of the Asia XI squad as Pakistan players form an integral part of cricket in the subcontinent and cricketing ties between India and Pakistan have been very poor. However, the BCB president Nazmul Hasan had confirmed that no players from Pakistan would play the games. Later, BCCI joint secretary Jayesh George had also stated the same.

“What we are aware of is that there will be no Pakistan players in the Asia XI. That is what the message is, so, there is no question of both countries coming together or picking one over the other,” George had said.

On the other hand, Pakistan Cricket Board had clarified that it wasn’t about the BCB picking BCCI over PCB and it was a case of the Pakistan players being unavailable as they would be busy playing in the ongoing Pakistan Super League.

“The T20Is between World XI and Asia XI were scheduled from March 16-20, while the PSL 2020 is likely to end on March 22. Since dates of both the series couldn’t be changed, we offered our regrets to the BCB, both verbally and in writing, which they understood and accepted,” a PCB spokesperson said. “It is unfortunate that the facts were twisted to mislead Pakistan cricket fans and followers.”

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