Mohammad Haris among Durbar Rajshahi’s foreign players stranded in Dhaka

The franchise owners are not responding to the players' calls

February 02, 2025
This undated picture shows Pakistan's Mohammad Haris in action for Durbar Rajshahi during a BPL 2025. — X

KARACHI: Pakistan’s wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris is among foreign players stranded at a team hotel in Dhaka due to the non-issuance of their return tickets and payments by the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchise Durbar Rajshahi.

According to the details, a total of five foreign players, Afghanistan’s Aftab Alam, West Indies’ Mark Deyal and Miguel Cummins, Zimbabwe’s Ryan Burl and Pakistan’s Haris are stuck at the hotel after the travel agent cancelled their return tickets, over the non-issuance of the dues.

The players tried to contact the franchise owners, who did not receive their calls.

Haris soon informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about the undesired situation and urged the board to contact the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Soon after the PCB’s intervention, Mohammad Haris received his return ticket from the BPL administration.

Notably, the franchise has also not paid most of their foreign players, with only two being given 25 per cent of their unsettled portions.

Reports further claimed that the players also did not get daily allowance for the last 11 days.

"The team owner and management haven't responded to the players' calls for updates as they await tickets for flights back home," a report by an international cricket news website stated.

The non-issuance of the payment by Durbar Rajshahi has embroiled the ongoing edition of the BPL in controversy as their local players boycotted a practice session in Chittagong last month, while they were forced to field a playing XI without an overseas player against Ranpur Riders.

"I think we didn't judge the franchises properly. I think we didn't verify their experience and financial strength. It has now put us in a difficult situation,” Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, member-secretary of BPL's governing council was quoted by the website.

Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.

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