Rangpur Riders’s spot in the finals looks uncertain of the Global Super League’s inaugural edition of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) asked to release Soumya Sarkar, Afif Hossain and Rishad Hossain to join the ODI squad for Bangladesh tour of West Indies 2024.
Rangapur Riders secured a 23-run victory against Lahore Qalandars on DLS method in the rain-shortened game.
The board has allowed the players to play till the end of the group stage and they must have to be released to be part of Bangladesh ODIs.
According to the tournament laws, each team will have to field seven local cricketers from their respective country. It will be tough for Rangapur Riders to field their playing 11.
The BCB has insisted that the players priortise the national camp over the GSL final.
Mohammad Saifudding has been ruled out due to injury, leaving the team even more vulnerable.
প্রথম আন্তর্জাতিক আসরে ফাইনালে রংপুর রাইডার্স, জয়ের লড়াই হবে এখন বিশ্বসেরা শিরোপার জন্য 🤩 🏆#Joyerlorai #rangpurriders #gslt20 pic.twitter.com/Fp9RnSSywz
— Rangpur Riders (@RangpurRider) December 6, 2024
“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.
“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,” a Rangpur Riders statement read.
However, the BCB has yet to adopt a similar approach for its players, leaving Rangpur in a precarious position.
Flying in replacements from Bangladesh is not an option due to the short timeframe, which leaves the team at risk of being unable to fulfil tournament regulations requiring a minimum number of local players in the squad.
The final match of the GSL 2024 will be played between Victoria and Rangapur Riders on December 06 at Providence Stadium. Meanwhile, the first match of the ODI series against West Indies will be played on December 08 at Werner Park.
