September 15, 2008	Monday	Ramazan 14, 1429

DHAKA, Sept 14: Six Bangladesh cricketers, including former captain Habibul Bashar have applied for retirement, a top official of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said on Sunday.

Shahriar Nafees and Aftab Ahmed, all-rounder Farhad Reza, wicketkeeper Dhiman Ghosh and left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain along with Bashar did not give any reason for early retirement.

But a local media report on Sunday said at least 14 leading Bangladesh cricketers, including Bashar, were about to join the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).

The 36-year-old Bashar confirmed to Reuters he had been in discussions with the ICL but had not signed a contract yet.

“I can say only about myself that I have got the proposal from the ICL and am talking with them. But nothing has yet been finalised,” he said.

Gazi Ashraf Hossain, chairman of the board’s cricket operations committee said: “We have summoned all the six players to appear before the board on Tuesday to explain the reasons for retirement.”

Ashraf said the players should not quit on a whim. They should understand that the board had played a big role in their development as cricketers.

The players dropped the letters by courier at the BCB before the office opened on Sunday.

Bashar is Bangladesh’s most successful captain, having led them to their maiden test win and to 29 one-day international victories.

He is also the country’s leading test run scorer with 3,026.

Besides the six, the Dhaka-based Bengali national daily Prothom Alo also identified Mohammad Rafique, Alok Kapali, Nazim Uddin, Manjurul Islam, Tapash Baishya, Mohammad Sharif, Mahbubul Karim and Golam Mabud as planning to join ICL.

The newspaper said the Bangladeshi players would all be in the same team, named the Dhaka Warriors.—Reuters