Bangladesh Premier League franchise Chattogram Challengers on Thursday called for action against West Indies batsman Chris Gayle if he refuses to participate in the tournament next month. Gayle had said he was taking a break from cricket after the end of his team’s campaign in the Mzansi Super League.
The swashbuckling opening batsman was picked by the Challengers to play in the BPL from December 11. But after returning home from South Africa’s Mzansi Super League on Monday — he said he was surprised his name had been included in the squad, after he officially made it clear that he is taking a break from cricket.
“I am not going to the Big Bash (Australia’s T20 league). I’m not sure what cricket will come up, I don’t even know how my name reached the BPL, but I have been drafted in a team and I don’t even know how that happened,” he told ESPNcricinfo.
Challengers’ team director Jalal Yunus, on the other hand, said that Gayle’s agent told the franchise that the batsman was aware of his contract. “His agent confirmed Chris was aware about it,” Yunus said. “Now if he does not come, we will seek a player outside the draft. But I feel (Bangladesh Cricket Board) BCB should take action in such cases to keep discipline.”
Bangladesh Cricket Board chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury, on his part, has said that they checked the drafting process and everything was done as per method.
“We maintain all the standard procedures when any national cricketer’s name came for the players’ draft,” Nizamuddin said.
“Either a player or his agent can show his interest and put the name in the list. I have checked the process and everything was done according to a standard process.”
Earlier this week, the batsman had said that he will not be playing any cricket for the next few months, including the ODIs against India, as he needed a break after the treatment he got in the MSL. He had elaborated saying that he was treated as a burden in the South African T20 competition because of his inability to perform.
As far as the BPL is concerned, Gayle has played in several editions of the tournament and is its highest run-scorer among overseas players with 1,338 runs. Also, he has hit 120 sixes in the tournament which is the highest so far. The second highest is by Tamim Iqbal – 60 sixes.
