BCB deny Taskin’s IPL offer

Bangladesh Cricket Board has turned down an offer from Indian Premier League team Lucknow Super Giants to take Taskin Ahmed as a replacement for Mark Wood, said a BCB official.

Jalal Yunus, cricket operations chairman at BCB, told the reporters on Monday that they turned down the offer because nothing is above national duty.

“Lucknow wanted to have Taskin in their side. They approached us through the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI). But as he is playing in the series and we have two important Tests coming up, we decided that we will not give him permission. He will be playing the (Test) series. He is available,” Jalal told the media at his office in the capital.

The sudden vacancy was created due to Mark Wood’s elbow injury, which ruled him out of the remainder of England’s West Indies tour and the IPL.

Gautam Gambhir, the team mentor of the Lucknow team, called Taskin and wanted to hear his decision within a short period to fiddle him as an immediate replacement.

One of the newest teams of the IPL wanted Taskin for the entire season, not partially which means the right-arm pacer has to prefer the cash-rich T20 tournament over two ICC Test Championship matches.

Jalal told the reporters that the team management talked to Taskin in South Africa, and the pacer is convinced about the decision of declining the call.

“We have already spoken to Taskin. We made him understand how important it is to represent the country. He was convinced and he informed his decision about not taking part. He already told Lucknow team that he will not play in the IPL and will be available for the entire South Africa series,” he said on Monday.

“National commitment is the utmost, above all. So far, whatever he has become, that’s because of playing for the Bangladesh team. If you are not in the national team, you will not be valued in someplace else,” added the cricket operations chairman.

The 15th edition of the IPL will start on March 26 in Mumbai. Bangladesh’s first Test against South Africa will start on March 31 at Durban, with the second Test starting on March 4 at Gqeberha.