‘We players play cricket for money’

Seeing Mehidy Hasan Miraz's statement in the headline, one might think that cricketers play only for money. Earning is certainly one of the key reasons, but not the only one. The context of the Khulna Tigers captain's remark is different—Miraz made this comment in response to a question regarding payment complications in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

For many Bangladeshi cricketers, the BPL is a major source of income, and some openly admit it. During the last edition, Mushfiqur Rahim stated that if the tournament were to be discontinued, it would be difficult for them to run their families. Despite being the most financially significant competition for local cricketers, the BPL has always been plagued by payment issues.

This time, however, the situation has surpassed all previous limits. Several teams have not paid their players as per the regulations. Among them, Durbar Rajshahi and Chittagong Kings stand out. No team had ever faced such discomfort regarding payments as Rajshahi has this season. Their players boycotted a training session in Chattogram due to unpaid wages.

At that time, they even gave a subtle hint of boycotting matches. To pacify the players, 25% of their salaries were issued as cheques while still in Chattogram. However, some of those cheques bounced when deposited in the bank. Upon returning to Dhaka, Rajshahi's foreign players refused to play against Rangpur Riders due to unpaid wages. On the same day, cheques issued to local players for 20% of their payments also bounced.

Khulna Tigers, however, have faced no such issues, according to Miraz. The experienced all-rounder stated that they had received 40% of their salaries, with the team promising another 30% within a few days. While he is not personally concerned, Miraz expressed sympathy for players from other teams who are struggling with payment disputes.

Calling on the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to take responsibility, the Khulna captain said, 'Of course, this is disappointing. At the end of the day, we cricketers play for money. If we do not receive our payments, it is difficult for every player. Since the cricket board is our guardian, I hope they will address this issue and take responsibility by discussing it with all franchise owners. If any problems arise, the board should resolve them.'

'Everyone might think that, since the country is not stable at the moment, these issues are occurring. However, those in charge of running the tournament—the BPL governing council—should work on this, and I hope they will provide a good solution and stand by the cricketers,' Miraz added.

With four wins in ten matches and eight points, Khulna Tigers are fifth in the table. To stay in the play-off race, they must win their remaining two matches. At this crucial stage, Miraz and his team are focused on their matches. Regarding their payments, he said, 'Our team has already paid 40%. I have spoken to Iqbal Bhai (the team's owner), and he assured me that 30-35% more will be paid within this week. That means we will receive around 70%.'