The New Nation - Internet Edition

Nothing is more important to me than representing the country: Ashraful

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful has said nothing is more important to him than representing the country.

He made the remark in an interview with TigerCricket.com during the Tigers training at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Wednesday when he appeared before the journalists for the first time since returning from a vacation in England.

Ashraful's interview with TigerCricket.com is given below:

Question (Q): It is being said that players in Bangladesh received offers to join the Indian Cricket League (ICL) through you. What do you say to that?

Mohammad Ashraful (MA): I had received the ICL offer first through an agent for a sum of 2.1 million dollars for a three-year contract. Immediately, I informed the Board's Cricket Operations Committee chairman Gazi Ashraf Hossain, the Chairman of Selectors and my coach Wahidul Ghani and discussed the offer with them. The Chairman told me that joining the ICL would stop me from representing Bangladesh. On the other hand, there was a good chance that more Bangladeshi players might be getting Indian Premier League (IPL) contracts this season. When I heard that I could not play for Bangladesh I straightaway refused the offer.

Q: Did you at any point let the Board know that there could be a player exodus?

MA: If I had any idea that so many players were actually joining then I definitely would have. I went to England on a vacation after returning from Australia and did a couple of charity fund-raising projects there for the Cyclone Sidr victims. I only came to know about the players going to the ICL from newspapers while I was in the UK.

Q: But players who have joined the ICL have said that you had introduced them to the agent and that you were the mastermind behind the ICL drama…

MA: That is totally wrong. I have never met that agent and only spoke to him over phone. He is well known to many Bangladeshi players and he has arranged sponsors for a number of local players and helped them in getting club cricket contracts in England. I believe he contacted them directly.

I have also heard that I am being projected as the mastermind. People who are saying that should remember that the biggest offer came to me, and 15 crore Taka over a three-year period is not a matter of joke. But my involvement with the ICL ended the moment I refused that offer.

Q: Some of the players have pointed fingers at you and said that they joined the ICL after you had assured them that you would be signing too. Wicket-keeper Dhiman Ghosh reportedly said that you had encouraged him to join ICL after giving it straight to him that his place in the side would never be secure…

MA: I would have preferred if he (Dhiman) had said that in front of me. I don't know why players are saying all those things. When I declined the offer everyone close to me including the Board knew about it even before we left for Australia. It was no secret.

I read somewhere that a couple of the guys had remarked that I wanted them out of the way as they could have been future captains. If they knew they were captaincy material then why on earth they would want to leave?

Q: Some of the ICL cricketers said they were disillusioned and upset at the way they were being treated in the Bangladesh team…

MA: If some people had held grudges they never told us. Professional players should understand that if you are out of the side that means you are not performing. There is no way in the world that you will be left out when you have performance to back you up.

For example, my captaincy is now being criticized by you. It is not because of the way I do the field-placements or field. It is because I am not delivering with the bat. Players don't get selected by the coach, captain or the selectors. They get themselves selected through performance and this is applicable to any level of cricket you play.

Q: There is also speculation that if you lose captaincy then you could be joining the ICL…

MA: Even if I lose captaincy I would not consider joining the ICL because I want to play Tests and ODIs for Bangladesh. If I am dropped for form I know that I can bounce back even if it takes two years because I have age on my side. I am 24 now and I believe I have at least ten years of international cricket left in me and batsmen are usually at the peak of their prowess at 26-27. Nothing is more important to me than representing the country.

Q: Was the ICL issue discussed when the Tigers were touring Australia?

MA: The coach (Jamie Siddons) told me that there were mutterings that some players could be signing for the ICL. When we asked the players they all denied interest straightaway. I didn't see the matter having an impact on the tour. Among the players who later joined the ICL, Dhiman's wicket-keeping was brilliant throughout the ODI series, Farhad Reza bowled beautifully when he got the chance and Alok (Kopali) looked okay in the lead up matches.

Q: How do you look at the decision of those joining the ICL?

MA: The ICL is a competition that is not recognized by the ICC and BCB. I would only think of joining something like the ICL if it received clearance from the game's governing body or the Board. I don't want to comment on their collective decision but I believe if those players still want to return the door is open for them and the BCB would do everything to facilitate them.

Q: Can Bangladesh cricket recover from losing so many top cricketers?

MA: Look, we have lost 14 out of roughly 160 first class cricketers. The players joining the ICL have lost out on more I guess because they can't play international or first class cricket and there will be others to fill in the gap. It is true that we will miss their experience to a certain extent because they had played top level cricket for a number of years but the newer guys will gain experience the same way.

Q: You look fresh and full of energy in training. What is the reason?

MA: (Laughs) I think the 15-day vacation in England is responsible for that.

Dhaka Abahani register 2nd win, beat Ctg Mohammedan 2-0

UNB, Dhaka

Holders Dhaka Abahani Limited registered their second win in the Citycell 2nd B. League beating Chittagong Mohammedan by 2-0 goals at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Wednesday.

Striker Zahid Hasan Emily and Nigerian recruit Emeka Christian Ibe scored one goal each for Dhaka Ababani (2-0). Both goals came in the first half.

Dhaka Abahani earlier conceded a 2-1 goal defeat to Rahmatganj MFS in their opening match and earned a solitary goal win over Farashganj SC in the second match.

On the other hand, this was the first defeat for the port city team after making identical 1-1 draw with two Dhaka giants -- Brothers Union Club and Sheikh Russell KC.

In the day's match, Emily scored first for Dhaka Abahani in the very 12th minute with a header from inside the danger zone capitalizing on a right wing Nazrul lob (1-0).

Emeka doubled the team's margin in the 32nd minute, also with a header from inside the danger zone utilizing a Ibrahim left flank cross (2-0).

Dhaka Abahani again came close to score in the 25th minute, but striker Emeka's shot from the top of the D-box was saved by opponent custodian Mamun Khan at the cost of corner.

Chittagong Mohammedan got the only real scoring chance in the 40th minute when Touhidul's powerful shot from 12 yards off Anthony pass narrowly whistled past beside the side bar.

Today match: Brothers Union vs Chittagong Abahani (BNS 3:30 pm).

GP-BCB Academy play 3rd one-day against Sri Lanka cricket Academy today

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting GP-BCB National Cricket Academy team face Sri Lanka Cricket Academy team in the 3rd and final match of the one-day series at the NCC ground in Colombo today (Thursday).

Earlier, in the first one-day match on Sunday, the GP-BCB Academy team earned a thrilling one-wicket win over Sri Lanka Development XI, while the hosts leveled the series 1-1 beating the visitors by four wickets in the second match on Tuesday.

Euro Famous draw with Gazir Chat

Sports Reporter

Euro famous Club settled for a 1-1 draw with Gazir Chat SC in the day's lone match of the Second Division Football League at the Kamalapur Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium on Wednesday.

Sohag of Euro Famous scored one goal while Kalu of Cazir Chat returned one.

Today Uttar Baridhara Club will meet Friends Social Welfare Organisation at 3.00 PM at the same venue.

Pakistan advised to play at neutral venues

AP, Islamabad

Former Australia captain Greg Chappell has advised Pakistan to consider playing at neutral venues until security improves at home.

"Playing cricket on neutral venues like Sharjah and Abu Dhabi could be a practical option," Chappell was quoted by English language daily newspaper The News on Wednesday.

Pakistan has played little cricket in 2008, with the Champions Trophy it was slated to host being postponed and Australia calling off a tour due to the perceived danger created by political violence.

Hundreds of people have died in several recent violent incidents. Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at Rawalpindi in December, while at least 53 people were killed Saturday in a terrorist attack on the a hotel in Islamabad.

"Blasts can happen anywhere in the world these days but Pakistan is a different case," Chappell said.

"There is too much happening there and it's quite a dangerous place to visit."

Pakistan has previously played 'home' tests abroad, in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka in 2002 when foreign teams refused to tour Pakistan after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Chappell, who had also coached India, said Australia and New Zealand players particularly have fears about traveling to Pakistan.

New Zealand aborted its 2002 tour after several people were killed in a bus parked outside the team hotel just hours before the second test was due to begin.

"Their (New Zealand) players saw severe loss of human lives around them. They were really scared," Chappell said.