BPL 2025: Durbar Rajshahi payment issues continue as overseas players sit out Sunday’s game

The financial troubles of the Durbar Rajshahi franchise in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) escalated further on Sunday, January 26, when none of their overseas players featured in their game against the Rangpur Riders in Dhaka over non-payment of their due player fees.

Not so long ago, the franchise had come under severe scrutiny after players protested due to non-payment of their fees and refused to participate in the practice season.

However, after the ruckus was created, the franchise promised to pay the dues by January 16, and players are set to resume practice and game time. Notably, fifty per cent of the payments to the players are made before the start of the tournament and 25 per cent during it. The rest are made after the tournament is over. 

The BPL rules state that two overseas players must feature in the team 11; however, none did on Sunday. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) released a statement approving an all-local 11. 

"The Durbar Rajshahi team... has applied to the BPL Technical Committee for special approval to field a team consisting solely of Bangladeshi players for today's match against Rangpur Riders due to the non-availability of overseas players," the BCB press statement said, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. 

"After a review of the request and in accordance with the provisions outlined in Clause 1.2.8 of the Match Playing Conditions of BPL 2024-25, the Technical Committee has granted approval for Durbar Rajshahi to field a team consisting of only Bangladeshi players for this match."

The overseas players who chose to sit out are Ryan Burl, Mohammad Haris, Mark Deyak, Miguel Cummins, Aftab Alam and Lahiri Samarakoon. 

According to the reports, the Rajshahi owners also had trouble paying their hotel bills and had to change their accommodation in the middle of the tournament.