All-rounder Sakib al Hasan arrived from England on Sunday to clear the smoke regarding the ongoing controversies that compelled him to return without going to West Indies for the Caribbean Premier League. Bangladesh Cricket Board had called back Sakib from London to join the national camp after he failed to collect the written NOC (no-objection-letter). His alleged misbehaviour with the coach Chandika Hathurusinghe also did not go well with the Board high-ups.
The BCB is expected to discuss the issues related to Sakib today in their meeting as they are quite disturbed with him after he failed to comply with the rules and regulations time and again.
Sakib said that he felt he had the NOC for the CPL with him after he had obtained one for the Lord’s bicentenary match. Sakib was in the initial squad for the match held on July 5 before his name was omitted.
‘I felt to have obtained the NOC for the CPL,’ Sakib told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium hours after his arrival from London.
‘As I got the NOC for England, I thought this will be enough CPL because these two events were taking place pretty much at the same time,’ said Sakib.
Sakib said he realised that the NOC would be required for the CPL a little later, precisely a day before his flight.
‘When I came to take the NOC for Big Bash, at that time Sabbir bhai [cricket operations manager] told me that you haven’t taken NOC for the CPL,’ said Sakib.
‘I asked what I will do now as tomorrow is my flight, I was told to talk to CEO Sujon bhai (Nizamuddin Chowdhury).
‘At that time the CEO had just got on the flight to Malaysia, so he asked me to talk to Akram bhai (cricket operations chairman) and Akram bhai told me as he was in Chittagong he couldn’t sign the NOC. If he was here he would have signed it.
‘When I was about to board the plane I received an e-mail asking me not to leave. I had booked my flight and there was a connecting flight from London two days later. I wouldn’t get any other flight for the next two days.
‘I called Sujon bhai [CEO], he was probably asleep. Akram bhai couldn’t contacted on phone. Then I called Papon bhai [BCB president] a little later because I thought it was too early in the morning, and at that point in time I talked to the coach,’ said Sakib.
The all-rounder admitted his conversation with Hathurusinghe was not a friendly chat.
‘See if you do have an argument with your parents and you say that you won’t eat for two days, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t stay with them,’ said Sakib.
‘I was angry and I said a few things that I shouldn’t have,’ said Sakib referring to his alleged threat of quitting international cricket.
‘But I said sorry and he accepted it as well,’ said Sakib, adding that he is keen to play for Bangladesh for at least 10 more years.
-With New Age input
