Bashar shocked by ban

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Major General Sina Ibn Jamali (3rd from L) briefs the press about the board's decision on the rebel players while (L-R) Shafiqur Rahman, Gazi Ashraf Hossain, Ahmed Sajjadul Alam, MA Momen and Shakil Kasem look on at the board's headquarters at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.Photo: STAR

After the last three days' chaos, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) finally cleared their position against the rebel cricketers as the game's governing body in the country came up with a ten-year ban for them.
BCB president Maj Gen Sina Ibn Jamali, appearing in front of the press for the first time after seven cricketers tendered their resignation letter to jolt the country's cricket, to declare the board's stance after a two-hour emergency meeting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium's offices in Mirpur yesterday.
"It is really unexpected. The ten-year suspension is too harsh. I can't believe it," said a 'shell-shocked' former national skipper Habibul Bashar in his instant reaction over phone.
"Hopefully we (the rebel cricketers) will meet tomorrow (Thursday) to decide our next course of action. We may try to meet with the board officials to explain everything," said Bashar.
Bashar along with three other "Dhaka Warriors" colleagues Shahriar Nafees, Alok Kapali and Dhiman Ghosh returned home yesterday after attending the official launch in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The most successful Bangladesh skipper said that it would be painful for him to be branded as a banned cricketer.
"I think the people in this country will not misunderstand us because we didn't commit any crime, rather we just want to play cricket," said Bashar.
"It would be an unbearable pain for me to be cast as a banned cricketer after playing for my country for so many years," added the country's highest Test run-getter.
"I don't understand why people call us rebel cricketers. There were reasons for me to take such a decision.
"I didn't consider only money because I know how big it is to represent the national team," he said.
The board has taken the decision after the rebel cricketers didn't respond to their appeal to meet them on Tuesday.
"We were not available at that time but now we can meet them. We are also available for national selection in any time and ICL authority also assured us that they will release us for any kind of national duty," he said adding that they got exceptional respect from the ICL authority.
BCB however hardly had any intention to think more with the cricketers who already signed with the ICL rather they were trying to take the initiative to make sure that there will be no such damages in the future.
The board yesterday met with some former national captains and cricketers to take their opinions regarding the issue.
" I said that what has happened, has happened. Now we should think about with the future. We have to have a complete action to prevent someone to take part in this kind of tournament," said former skipper Roquibul Hasan.
"You can't stop someone to go if he has been offered huge money. There is now ICL and you never know another big-spending tournament might take place anywhere in the world. So we have to look at our whole system," he said.
On the other hand, another former national skipper Aminul Islam believed that there is no difference between ten years ban and a life ban for a cricketer.
"BCB has the right to take such a decision against their employees. But still I am optimistic that they (the players) can understand their mistakes and beg mercy to the board. And definitely board will consider their appeal," said Aminul.