BCCI disallows Bengal from playing Global T20 Namibia

The Cricket Association of Bengal formally sought a No Objection Certificate from the BCCI to participate in the T20 league, but the request was declined.

FILE PHOTO: The CAB had named a squad for the T20 league in Namibia but now the team won’t be able to participate. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has declined the Cricket Association of Bengal’s request to allow its senior men’s team to feature in the Global T20 Namibia in September.

The CAB had announced a squad for the tournament, with Abhimanyu Easwaran leading the team. As a policy, the BCCI does not allow any of its teams or players to feature in overseas franchise T20 leagues. However, this being a league organised by an associate member nation - Cricket Namibia - and with no franchise or ownership involved, the CAB officials had formally sought a No Objection Certificate from the BCCI hoping that it would allow for players’ participation in the tournament.

However, in its communication to the CAB, the Board has clarified that it will not allow the players to feature in the T20 tournament. Following the BCCI’s diktat, the CAB has informed the management company which was liaisoning on behalf of Cricket Namibia that it would not be possible for them to field a team.

While Cricket Namibia officials were unavailable for comment at the time of publishing the story, it is understood that it has decided to go ahead with the tournament with the remaining two teams.

The Namibia national team will be the only international side featuring in the tournament. As far as overseas participation is concerned, Cricket South Africa domestic franchise Momentum Multiply Titans and Pakistan Super League franchise Lahore Qalandars have agreed “in principle” to participate. If things fall in place, the teams are expected to reach Namibia by the fourth week of August.

The nine-day tournament will be a curtain raiser for the Namibian national team ahead of its CWC League 2 ODI Tri-series in Papua New Guinea in September. The team will travel to Australia in October for the T20 World Cup and the organisers feel that this four-team tournament will help the Namibian team get enough match practice and international exposure.

For the Bengal team, too, it would have been a pre-season tour, but with the BCCI refusing to give a go-ahead, it has to look for a different option to get the players ready for the domestic season.