Indian agent? Bangladesh captain slams BCB, says 'it’s affecting us'

Bangladesh Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto has admitted that the uncertainty implicit his team’s information successful adjacent month’s T20 World Cup successful India is taking a intelligence toll connected the players, adjacent arsenic they effort to behave arsenic if “everything is ok”.

Shanto besides criticised Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) manager M Najmul Islam for branding erstwhile skipper Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” aft Tamim called for a calm and pragmatic solution to the ongoing standoff.Bangladesh’s World Cup run has been overshadowed by contention aft the BCB approached the ICC seeking a alteration of venue for the team’s matches, citing information concerns successful India.

“First of all, if you look astatine our World Cup results, we've ne'er truly played consistently bully cricket.

Last year, we did play well, but determination were adjacent amended opportunities, and we couldn't capitalise connected them.“But you'll spot that thing ever happens earlier each World Cup. I tin accidental this from my acquisition of 3 World Cups - it does person an effect,” Shanto told reporters connected Friday.“Now, we enactment arsenic if thing affects us, that we are afloat nonrecreational cricketers. You guys besides recognize that we are acting - it's not easy,” helium added.

Shanto said the players are doing their champion to artifact retired the distractions and absorption connected performances.“Of course, it would beryllium amended if these things didn't happen, but this is partially beyond our control,” helium said.The T20 World Cup begins connected February 7, with Bangladesh slated to play 4 matches successful India — 3 successful Kolkata and 1 successful Mumbai.The BCB has demanded that the fixtures beryllium shifted to Sri Lanka pursuing the merchandise of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL connected the BCCI’s instructions, with the Indian committee citing unspecified “developments each around”.“I don't cognize the details of however it happened, oregon however it could person been controlled. Still, I'd accidental that adjacent acting successful specified circumstances (is difficult),” Shanto said.“With the close mindset if we spell to the World Cup and play anywhere, we should absorption connected however to bash our champion for the team,” helium added.Shanto besides expressed beardown disappointment implicit BCB manager M Najmul Islam’s remarks astir Tamim Iqbal.“Very sad, precise bittersweet due to the fact that specified comments were made astir a cricketer - a erstwhile captain, and successful my sentiment 1 of Bangladesh's astir palmy cricketers whom we grew up watching,” Shanto said.“As players, we expect respect - whether idiosyncratic is simply a erstwhile captain, a regular player, palmy oregon not. At the extremity of the day, a cricketer hopes for respect,” helium added.Calling the BCB “supposed to beryllium our guardian”, Shanto said the remark was unacceptable.“Parents should close you astatine home, not successful beforehand of everyone. So specified a remark from idiosyncratic who is expected to beryllium our guardian is precise hard to accept. I wholly cull it arsenic a player,” helium concluded.