Rangpur Riders, a franchise team from Bangladesh Premier League, is under serious doubt about competing in the Global Super League 2024 final. This uncertainty is because of an act from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), which has decided to call some of the franchise’s players for international duties.
The BCB has reportedly called three players of Rangpur Riders – Soumya Sarkar, Afif Hossain, and Rishad Hossain – to join Bangladesh’s ODI squad for the three-match series against West Indies, which will begin on December 8 in Basseterre.
Also read: Sanjay Manjrekar criticizes Rohit Sharma’s technique after his LBW dismissal in Adelaide Test
Rangpur Riders in danger of competing in GSL 2024 final
All three players are currently part of the Riders Squad in the inaugural GSL 2024 edition. If the franchise releases all the players, they won’t have enough local players in their squad to field a Playing XI.
According to the by-laws of the tournament, every team must field at least seven local players from their respective countries. However, Rangpur will be in trouble if they release all these three players.
In that case, they might have to forfeit the match, which will lead to an embarrassment for the franchise. Rangpur defeated Pakistan’s Lahore Qalandars by 23 runs in a rain-affected game by the DLS method to book their place in the GSL 2024 final.
Rangpur Riders’ statement on the issue
Rangpur Riders put out a statement on this issue and claimed that they might have to forfeit the match if they continue to face such a situation. They added that such a situation would affect the reputation of Bangladesh cricket in a negative way.
“If they remain steadfast in their decision, Rangpur will have to forfeit the final match without even stepping onto the field. Such an incident would undoubtedly tarnish Bangladesh cricket’s reputation on the global stage, as it is extremely rare for a team to miss a final due to a player shortage,” Rangpur Riders put out a statement.
“Moreover, in the GSL, Rangpur is not just representing themselves but the entire nation of Bangladesh. Therefore, such an unfortunate event would be deeply disappointing for cricket enthusiasts as well,” the statement further added.
Rangpur Riders to play Victoria in GSL 2024 final
The Riders are scheduled to play Victoria at the Providence Stadium, Guyana on December 6. Victoria topped the group with 3 wins and 1 defeat in four matches. On the other hand, Rangpur Riders finished with 2 wins and as many defeats.
Home team Guyana Amazon Warriors finished third in the group and just missed out on the spot for the final. Lahore Qalandars finished fourth while Hampshire finished last in the points table.
The Global Super League has been started by the government of Guyana. A total of five teams participated in the inaugural edition of the tournament. Home team Guyana Amazon Warriors started the tournament as favorites but could not make its way to the final.
The prize money for the tournament is a mammoth US$1 million. Meanwhile, the ODI series between West Indies and Bangladesh will be played from December 8 to December 12. After the three-match ODI series, both the teams will play a three-match T20I series as well.