Durbar Rajshahi's Historic All-Local Lineup in BPL

In a shocking turn of events, Durbar Rajshahi, a team in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), took to the field with an all-local lineup against Rangpur Riders, marking a first in BPL history. This unprecedented decision was made after the team's overseas players refused to participate due to an ongoing payment dispute with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

The BPL Technical Committee approved Durbar Rajshahi's request to field a team consisting only of Bangladeshi players under a specific clause in the BPL's match conditions, which allows for such arrangements under extraordinary circumstances. This move comes on the heels of a series of financial disputes between the players and the BCB, including a previous incident where the team's players refused to participate in training due to unpaid wages.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced plans to take legal action against the Durbar Rajshahi franchise for failing to pay overseas players and hotel bills. The BCB had given the franchise sufficient time and warnings, but the team "crossed all limits" by not fielding a single overseas player in a match. The team's captain, Taskin Ahmed, stated that the players were told the payment issue would be resolved, but the foreign players decided not to play without receiving their dues.

The controversy surrounding Durbar Rajshahi's all-local lineup has sparked debate, coming just 10 days after the team's players refused to participate in training due to unpaid wages. The team had issued an apology and vowed to clear 50% of the pending payments by January 16. The BCB will file cases for breaches of contract, cheque dishonor, and other issues, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

As the BPL season continues, the fallout from Durbar Rajshahi's decision to field an all-local lineup will likely have significant implications for the team and the league as a whole. The clash between the team and the BCB serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by cricket franchises in Bangladesh, where financial disputes and payment issues can have far-reaching consequences.