Tamim, Mashrafe in same boat
Tamim Iqbal and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza yesterday confirmed that they had refused an offer from an agent associated with the rebel Indian Cricket League.
It was reported in a local Bengali daily that the Bangladesh opener was being courted with a big offer and that he was close to a move to the other side of the border.
But Tamim said that although he did talk with an unnamed agent, he declined it.
“I got a call in the evening of the day before yesterday and the guy on the line asked if I would consider a 9,00,000-dollar move to the ICL. I rejected it straightaway,” admitted Tamim, who immediately informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board, which he thinks is doing enough for the players already.
Mashrafe also informed that he too refused a second offer, made some 15 minutes after the phone call to Tamim.
“A man, probably speaking from India, asked me to join the Dhaka Warriors but I immediately refused him,” said Mashrafe.
Tamim's offer has been bettered from the previous one made to the same player, during the same time when the first ICL raid took place in Bangladesh cricket.
“Yes it is higher but the first time I was offered, I thought it was a joke,” said the left-hander.
“I come from a good family background and the two main reasons for not going would definitely be my love for my country and the game,” he announced.
“Their main motive is money but I think I have enough of it already,” remarked the Chittagonian.
“I took the offer simply as an appreciation of my importance in international cricket. There's no right or wrong about it."
But the timing of the phone call from the rebel league agent was questionable, given that he was in the middle of a Test match. But Tamim refused to believe that it had an impact on his performance.
“I scored 30 off 100-odd deliveries so I don't think concentration was an issue. If I wanted to go, I would have given little importance to the game."
Mashrafe, meanwhile, denied that the Dhaka Warriors players were requesting them to join the ICL.
“No they didn't. (Habibul Bashar) Sumon bhai wished me well for the Test and that was it,” said Mashrafe, who also seemed confused as to how they got his number when some of his family members found it hard to trace him.
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