Bangladesh Cricket Board to look into Tamim Iqbal's allegations of abuse

BCB to look into Tamim Iqbal's abuse claims

Tamim Iqbal’s allegations that he was abused during the match between Sylhet Superstars and Chittagong Vikins has been referred to the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) disciplinary committee, says Bangladesh Premier League technical committee chairman Jalal Yunus, reports ESPN Cricinfo.

Yunus also added that the due process will begin this week. "Both parties will be called up in the next two days," Yunus told ESPNcricinfo." We have referred it to the board's disciplinary committee.”

In the game between Superstars and Vikings, the toss was delayed by 25 minutes as the Superstars captain, Mushifqur Rahim didn’t turn up. Although he eventually came out and won the toss, the game didn’t proceed as expected.

Two Superstars players, Joshua Cobb and Ravi Bopara, who didn’t have their NOCs before the toss and thus weren’t on the teamsheet, were on the field as the BCB received the documents by the time the players came out.

Tamim Iqbal, who was furious at the inclusion of the two players who weren’t on the teamsheet, didn’t come out to bat. Although he eventually came out and a scored a fifty in a Vikings win, his comments after the game brought further unwanted attention on the BPL, which was looking to have a controversy-free tournament.

The Bangladeshi opener said a franchise offical abused him. He said: “We are here to play cricket, I haven’t come here to hear insults about my parents or my family. And I was so nice to that individual, I even called him sir. He asked me to stand up and talk to him and I did that. Then he said a really bad thing about my family, which was very insulting.”

Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), the players’ body, was critical of the alleged abuse of the southpaw.

"CWAB is alarmed and angry at the attitude shown towards a senior Bangladesh cricketer," a statement signed by their secretary Debbabrata Paul said. "We protest the behavior directed towards Tamim Iqbal. We hope that the BPL governing council will take swift action against such attitude.”

CWAB also asked fans to take more care while entering into the stadium, after supporters of Dhaka Dynamites stormed into the Shere Bangla National Stadium’s gates on the opening day of the T20 tournament.

"The manner in which the Dhaka Dynamites' officials and supporters ignored the security while entering the [Mirpur] stadium is unprecedented," the CWAB statement said. "It put the security of Bangladesh cricket under threat.”