Tamim Iqbal, Mustafizur Rahman reject lucrative CPL deals for Dhaka Premier League: Report

Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal has opted himself out of the upcoming Caribbean Premier League 2020 (CPL 2020) season. Earlier this year, Tamim Iqbal was appointed as Bangladesh ODI captain after Mashrafe Mortaza relinquished captaincy from the format. Apart from the dashing opening batsman, his teammates Mustafizur Rahman and Mahmudullah have also reportedly rejected some lucrative advances made by different CPL 2020 franchises.

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Bangladesh stars Tamim Iqbal, Mustafizur Rahman opt out of CPL 2020

While speaking with CricBuzz on Wednesday, July 15, Tamim Iqbal said that he turned down one of the CPL 2020 teams because he wanted to make himself available for the Dhaka Premier League. Tamim Iqbal, however, did not reveal the name of the CPL franchise. He said that the home season “might start soon” and thus he opted not to visit the Caribbean islands for T20 action.

The Dhaka Premier League began in March this year but was indefinitely postponed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in wake of the ongoing coronavirus global pandemic. The board is reportedly considering several measures to restart the tournament sometime in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman also rejected a CPL 2020 deal citing entirely different reasons. While speaking with the same publication, the left-arm fast-bowler described the offer he received as something which was “very good” for himself. While Mustafizur Rahman admitted to have enjoyed playing in CPL in its earlier seasons, he said that his main concern right now is his family. The 24-year-old also added that he does not want to risk travelling during the pandemic and stated that he will resume cricketing activities only when the situation reverts back to normal.

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CPL 2020

The upcoming CPL 2020 season is the eighth edition of the tournament. It is currently on schedule to commence on August 18 and it will run till September 10. Around 33 matches will be played among six star-studded franchises across two venues and all matches will be played behind closed doors due to the contagious nature of the coronavirus disease. The decision to organise CPL 2020 this year was made by Cricket West Indies after they received the approval of the local government.

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Image credit: Tamim Iqbal and Mustafizur Rahman pictures from ICC Twitter