National cricketers likely to lose over BDT One Crore

|| CF Correspondent ||

Bangladesh’s national cricketers are likely to lose over BDT One Crores due to coronavirus pandemic that had hit the country’s economy hard.

Since mid of March, all cricketing activities in the country is stopped in Bangladesh with rising cases of Covid-19 and after the game was taken off the field Bangladesh first postponed its final phase of the three-legged tour of Pakistan and this was followed by cancellation of scheduled home series with Australia and New Zealand that had involved two Tests against each of the opponents and an away series against Sri Lanka that had involved three Tests – all of which are part of the ICC Test Championship.

The match fee for Bangladesh cricketers in Tests now stands at Tk. 600,000 per game and considering regular names in the format with like of Mominul Haque, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and others have lost Tk. 48 lakh as match fee due to postponement of the eight Tests.

Looking into the 50-over format of the game, Bangladesh was in line to play three ODIs against hosts Ireland. ODI match fee is now Tk. 400,000 and the the cricketers have lost Tk. 1,200,000. There were also four T20I matches to be players during the tour of Ireland which makes to Taka 800,000 for each player having a match fee of Taka 200,000 per shortest format of the game.

In all the cricketers due to suspension of cricket since March have lost around Taka 6,800,000 just from match fees and including daily allowance and income from personal sponsors the number would only swell.

There is no doubt that efforts will be made to rearrange the ICC Future Tour Program and that Bangladesh would get to play the matches that have been put at hold but the heavy congestion that has built due cricket put at hold worldwide, it will surely take time from it recover.

There is both discussion and preparation for cricket to return to the field in August if the situation allows however it will not be able to make the cricketers overcome the financial loss they had due to the unexpected halt.

The cricketers in domestic circuit are the ones getting the most sympathy however looking into the numbers that have been lost by the current national team cricketers are overwhelming in itself.

The top tire cricketers are getting their full salaries as per their contract with the BCB. The board has not been harsh to its employees and players like it has been observed in many countries. Cricket boards in leading countries such as Australia and England are reported of encountering problems playing salaries and thus have found way in various cut-off options.

Bangladesh was schedule to play 10 Tests this year but as it has been they were able to play only two matches, against Pakistan and Zimbabwe each at the beginning of the year.