Tamim, Mahmudallah and Fizz turn down CPL offers

Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, T20I captain Mahmudullah and pacer Mustafizur Rahman have turned down their respective offers for playing the upcoming season of the Caribbean Premier League.

"I decided not to take the offer firstly because of my commitment in Dhaka Premier League. The tournament is suspended but as you know we are all waiting for it to resume and it can happen any time," said Tamim.

Dhaka Premier League has remained suspended since mid-March this year after the first round due to the Covid-19 pandemic. "There is also the issue with travelling. Due to the Covid-19 there is travel restrictions and route to West Indies is very long. Say I make it to the islands but there is an emergency in my family, I will not be able to return easy. I do not want to take that chance," Tamim added.

"We have to agree that the situation due to Covid-19 is not right. I shared with my family about the offer and they did not agree to it. I also thought it will not be right to make them worry for me. Travelling to West Indies will be very hectic, with so many transits and regulations to follow, you never know what you will face," said Mahmudullah

Mustafizur was unreachable for a comment when this report was filed. Tamim made his only appearance in the tournament in 2013 for St Lucia Zouks. Mahmudullah played in the CPL in 2017 for Jamaica Tallawahs and featured in five matches while left-arm pacer Mustafizur is yet to make his maiden appearance in the tournament.

The eighth edition of the CPL, the domestic Twenty20 cricket league in West Indies, was initially planned to be played in six islands however all of the matches will now take place in Trinidad.

The six-team tournament is scheduled to begin from August 18 and end on September 10. The local government approved for the tournament to go ahead with all the matches taking place at two venues behind closed doors.