Tensions are rising for former Bangladesh women’s team skipper Rumana Ahmed, who’d only recently publicly criticized the board management once again. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided not to let go of Rumana this time, and instead, will send her a summon.
Early last week, the BCB announced a 16-member squad for Bangladesh’s forthcoming 6-match multi-format white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. While the squad of 16 features players from the Under-19 set-up, it comes at the cost of resting the veteran duo of Rumana Ahmed and Salma Khatun from the series.
The BCB selector, Monjurul Islam, did confirm that Rumana Ahmed and Salma Khatun were rested from the 16-member squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. However, Rumana claimed that she felt like she had been dropped, not rested, contradicting the selectors’ statement.
A couple of days after the squad announcement, Rumana during a conversation with Cricbuzz, said, “Certainly, I feel like I’ve been dropped. Look when you give rest to someone certainly you discuss it with that cricketer. It is entirely their (team management) thing what they have given me (rest or not) but they have not discussed with me so I felt (I am dropped).”
Following her remarks on the BCB, the board has made up its mind to issue a ‘verbal warning’ to Rumana. Quoting, Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, BCB Women’s wing chairman, “We will call her (Rumana) after Eid for an explanation and as this is the first time she did something like this, we will give her verbal warning.”
Rumana in her interview with Cricbuzz, had also raised concerns over senior players not being welcomed. The statement too hadn’t sat well with the board as Mr. Shafiul further added, “This is unexpected from a senior cricketer like her. If we don’t take any action, someone might be inspired by her in the future.
“So, she needs to be warned but we want to have a cordial relationship with all cricketers. This is unexpected from a senior cricketer like her. If we don’t take any action, someone might be inspired by her in the future. So, she needs to be warned but we want to have a cordial relationship with all cricketers.”
(Quotes sourced from CricBuzz)