Tigers welcome ICL rebels

It needed only a few phone calls to take India and Ireland out of their minds for some hours. The Indian Cricket League had replaced the two Group A opponents in Bangladesh players’ minds as all the 13 remaining cricketers, who had joined the rebel league for money, have decided to return.
The decision of Shahriar Nafees and his Dhaka Warriors team-mates to quit the ICL accepting the Bangladesh Cricket Board amnesty has reached Nottingham immediately and soon became the talking point of Bangladeshi cricketers.
From most junior Mohammad Mithun to senior most Abdur Razzak, all were curious and were asking whether the news was true or not, though it did not surprise them at all.
‘Is that really true?,’ asked opener Tamim Iqbal when he met a group of Bangladeshi reporters at the lobby of Hotel Park Plaza on Thursday. ‘That must be good news for Bangladesh cricket,’ shrugged Tamim after he was confirmed.
Tamim’s name had frequently come in some section of media as Bangladesh’s next casualty to ICL after 14 leading cricketers, including seven contracted with the BCB, had joined the renegade the league.
To wipe out the rumour the opener even had convened a press conference at his home town of Chittagong following a Test match against New Zealand. At that press conference Tamim had revealed that he had a $9-million offer for three years to join the ICL, but he snubbed the offer for the sake of national interest.
Now do you feel that you could easily pocket the money and still return to the national fold by accepting the amnesty? ‘No, I never think so. I opted to play for my country and I have no regrets,’ said Tamim.
‘It’s not true that the ICL issue never crossed my mind. But when I think that I have earned enough money without going to the ICL, I feel really good. I don’t really care who has gone to the ICL or who is coming back,’ added Tamim.
Vice-captain Mashrafee bin Murtaza was another cricketer who had a mega offer from the ICL, but he made it a dead issue once he joined the rival IPL for a staggering $6 million per year.
‘I don’t think anyone of us has any regret. I have earned such a big amount of money that I didn’t ever think. Razzak, Ashraful also played in IPL. Sakib (al Hasan) unfortunately missed out on it, but the way he is playing I am sure he will also be picked by an IPL franchise in the near future,’ said Mashrafee.
‘Players now can earn enough money by playing just for the national team. In Bangladesh’s context it’s more than handsome,’ said Mashrafee adding that he would have no problem if any one of the ICL players again returns to the national team.
‘Maybe it could be an issue with many people. But I think if they can adjust we will not face any problem,’ said Mashrafee. The pacer also dismissed the idea that the return of the ICL players will make some cricketers feel insecure about their position.
‘That’s not true. Everybody has earned a place in the team by playing well. It will rather increase competition among us,’ he said.
Skipper Mohammad Ashraful congratulated the ICL players for their decision and said they are welcome to the national fold.
‘We had always a good relation between us. What has happened over the last few months is just part of life. If they can adjust with us again we will also be able to do so,’ said Ashraful.
Fixture
Fri Jun 5: 10:30 PM 1st Match, Group B – England v Netherlands, Lord’s
Sat Jun 6: 3:00 PM 2nd Match, Group D – NZ v Scotland, Kennington Oval
Sat Jun 6: 7:00 PM 3rd Match, Group C – Australia v WI, Kennington Oval
Sat Jun 6: 11:00 PM 4th Match, Group A – Bangladesh v India, Trent Bridge
Sun Jun 7: 6:30 PM 5th Match, Group D – Scotland v SA, Kennington Oval
Sun Jun 7: 10:30 PM 6th Match, Group B – England v Pakistan, Kennington Oval
Mon Jun 8: 6:30 PM 7th Match, Group A – Bangladesh v Ireland, Trent Bridge
Mon Jun 8: 10:30 PM 8th Match, Group C – Australia v Sri Lanka, Trent Bridge
Tue Jun 9: 6:30 PM 9th Match, Group B – Netherlands v Pakistan, Lord’s
Tue Jun 9: 10:30 PM 10th Match, Group D – New Zealand v South Africa, Lord’s
Wed Jun 10: 6:30 PM 11th Match, Group C – Sri Lanka v WI, Trent Bridge
Wed Jun 10: 10:30 PM 12th Match, Group A – India v Ireland, Trent Bridge
Thu Jun 11: 6:30 PM 13th Match, Group F – TBC v TBC (D1 v A2), Trent Bridge
Thu Jun 11: 10:30 PM 14th Match, Group E – TBC v TBC (B2 v D2), Trent Bridge
Fri Jun 12: 6:30 PM 15th Match, Group F – TBC v TBC (B1 v C2), Lord’s
Fri Jun 12: 10:30 PM 16th Match, Group E – TBC v TBC (A1 v C1), Lord’s
Sat Jun 13: 6:30 PM 17th Match, Group E – TBC v TBC (C1 v D2), Kennington Oval
Sat Jun 13: 10:30 PM 18th Match, Group F – TBC v TBC (D1 v B1), Kennington Oval
Sun Jun 14: 6:30 PM 19th Match, Group F – TBC v TBC (A2 v C2), Lord’s
Sun Jun 14: 10:30 PM 20th Match, Group E – TBC v TBC (A1 v B2), Lord’s
Mon Jun 15: 6:30 PM 21st Match, Group E – TBC v TBC (B2 v C1), Kennington Oval
Mon Jun 15: 10:30 PM 22nd Match, Group F – TBC v TBC (B1 v A2), Kennington Oval
Tue Jun 16: 6:30 PM 23rd Match, Group F – TBC v TBC (D1 v C2), Trent Bridge
Tue Jun 16: 10:30 PM 24th Match, Group E – TBC v TBC (D2 v A1), Trent Bridge
Thu Jun 18: 10:30 PM 1st Semi-Final – TBC v TBC, Trent Bridge
Fri Jun 19: 10:30 PM 2nd Semi-Final – TBC v TBC, Kennington Oval
Sun Jun 21: 8:00 PM Final – TBC v TBC, Lord’s

Courtesy of NewAgebd