Shakib team out of GLT20 after super over controversy
Bangla Tigers captain Shakib Al Hasan decided not to attend the toss for the Super Over. Shakib Al Hasan was embroiled in controversy during the Global T20 in Canada on Friday when Bangla Tigers lost the Eliminator against Toronto Nationals. The match in Brampton was unable to start due to rain and close to the cut-off time the officials decided on a Super Over and informed both teams about it and the game was as per the rules.
What happened?
Bangla Tigers captain Shakib AL Hasan decided not to attend the toss for the Super Over in protest. Had the match been called off due to a complete washout, Shakib’s team would have automatically entered the Qualifier 2 due to their higher position on the points table in the group stage.
Bangla Tigers owner Zafir Yasin argued that the match should have been of at least five or ten overs and not a Super Over. Meanwhile, GLT20 CEO Joy Bhattacharya told ESPNcricinfo, “We were trying to ensure that there is a result no matter how painful it is for the team that loses in a one-over shootout. And that was all part of the rules.”
Ingleton Liburd’s rules via WhatsApp
Explaining tournament director Ingleton Liburd’s decision to share the rules via WhatsApp, Bhattacharya said, “They were sent to the managers’ group for immediate action, and till then all updates related to the tournament were given on the same group.
Bhattacharya also pointed out that the Super Over rule is not a new rule but has already been decided upon. “It is not that the Super Over provision was brought in just for the Bangla Tigers match. It was there for both the matches [Qualifier 1 and Eliminator]. Simply this wasn’t possible for the first match, and because the second match took place much later in the day, the ground staff had a little more time to work on the outfield.
Deciding their campaign on the basis of an eliminator
The Bangla Tigers were not happy with their campaign being decided on the basis of a one-over eliminator after rain had washed out the playing time, and the game was declared abandoned.
Controversy erupted at the Global T20 Canada on Friday when Bangla Tigers Mississauga were knocked out of the competition after losing their eliminator against the Toronto Nationals.
It all started when the players were waiting for the eliminator to start in Brampton, Ontario, due to incessant rain. While heading towards the cut-off time, the match officials decided that only a Super Over would be possible and informed both teams about this, a decision that was in line with the playing rules.
Bangla Tigers owner Zafir Yasin argued that at least a five or ten-over game should have been played, and not just a Super Over. However, GLT20 CEO Joy Bhattacharya clarified that it was a decision taken by the match officials. We were trying to ensure that there was a result anyhow, no matter how painful it was for the team losing in a one-over shootout.
When asked why the rules were distributed via WhatsApp (by tournament director Ingleton Liburd), Bhattacharya said, “They were sent to the managers’ group for immediate action, and till then all updates related to the tournament were provided on the same group”.
Futilised due to rain and ground conditions
Earlier in the day, efforts to ensure a Super Over for Qualifier 1 between Brampton Wolves and Montreal Tigers at the same venue had been futile due to rain and ground conditions. Montreal eventually progressed to the final by virtue of topping the group-stage table.
This was simply not possible because it was not possible in the first game and because the second game took place much later in the day, so the ground staff had a little more time to work on the outfield.
At the time of the toss, the captain of the Toronto Nationals was present, but the Bangla Tigers team refused to come,” GLT20 said in a statement. The match referee explained to the captain [Shakib Al Hasan] the possible consequences of the said action and thereafter the umpire awarded the match to Toronto Nationals.
Only super overs to decide the result
Yasin insisted that he had demanded a minimum of five overs per innings, and not just a super over to decide the result. Bhattacharya said the rules cannot be changed just like that.
Where does the credibility of the league remain if the rules are changed on the fly?” he said. “If we had changed the rule for one team, Brampton Wolves would have had every reason to argue that they would not have got the opportunity to qualify directly for the final instead of playing in the eliminator. Credibility was at stake.
Conclusion
Bhattacharya explained that this was done only to ensure that a crucial stage of the competition is not decided by the elements and these decisions were taken solely by the match officials, who were the deciding authority.
In a country like Canada, where such infrastructure is not always readily available, buying additional cover was done only to ensure that we do everything to ensure the game goes on,” Bhattacharya said. We accepted whatever help we could get, so that we don’t leave anything to chance with the weather.
