Smith’s BPL future hangs in balance
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|| CF Correspondent ||
Australian star Steven Smith’s participation in the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is hanging in the balance after several franchisees raised question over his inclusion.
The BPL officials said that the franchisees showed their concern over Smith, who replaced Pakistan all-rounder Shoeb Malik for one time champion Comilla Victorians as he was not in the players’ draft.
According to the by laws of the BPL, no franchise could rope in a player unless he is in the players’ draft.
The magnitude of the issue came as a headache for BPL technical committee who is now seeking BCB’s intervention in the matter after failing to sort it out.
“We have referred the issue [Smith] to Bangladesh Cricket Board. At first Rangpur Riders raised the issue but later other franchises joined them and informed about their reservation. It turned out to be difficult for us to solve so we referred the issue to the board to fix,” BPL technical committee chairman Jalal Yunus told the reporters on Tuesday.
“We will take the decision on the next board meeting or we will inform it to them[ Victorians] soon,” he said.
“But now it seemed that it cannot be implemented after the objection of other franchisees unless BCB comes up with any other solution,” he added.
Another Australian star David Warner joined Sylhet Sixers and was handed the captaincy but no such issue was raised against him.
Smith and Warner currently has been serving one year ban handed by the Cricket Australia due to their involvement in ball tampering scandal but continuing grade cricket around the world.
