Chaos In Bangladesh Cricket: Referee Stands Alone At Toss In Bizarre Scenes

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) was hit by a massive controversy on Thursday ahead of the match between the Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express in Mirpur. The toss was delayed after both teams failed to arrive at the venue, match referee Shipar Ahmed told ESPNcricinfo. Ahmed was left standing alone in the middle after both captains decided not to appear for the toss. The toss was scheduled for 12:00 PM IST (12:30 PM local time), with the match set to begin at 12:30 PM IST (1:00 PM local time).

"We are standing in the middle of the ground. We don't know what's happening. The BPL technical committee can tell you better," said Ahmed.

This follows the cancellation of matches in the Dhaka Cricket League earlier in the day, after the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) threatened to bring domestic cricket to a standstill. The boycott stems from Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam's "objectionable comments," in which he reportedly labeled former captain Tamim Iqbal an "Indian agent."

While the BCB issued a show-cause notice to Nazmul, the CWAB, led by president Mohammad Mithun, called for a nationwide boycott of all forms of cricket. An emergency meeting was held between the BCB and CWAB officials on Wednesday to de-escalate the situation. Mithun, who also captains the BPL franchise Sylhet Stallions, is expected to hold a press conference later today.

On behalf of the CWAB, Mithun is likely to demand Nazmul's resignation, a move that could carry significant legal implications. According to BCB officials, the board's constitution makes it incredibly difficult to forcibly remove a director unless they resign voluntarily.

This constitutional "red tape" suggests that if Nazmul refuses to step down, a swift resolution to the boycott is unlikely. However, the CWAB is unlikely to settle for anything less than Nazmul's complete resignation from the board.

Topics mentioned in this article

Bangladesh Cricket Team Mohammad Mithun Tamim Iqbal Cricket