Five-player rule will create healthy local competition – Mushfiqur

‘High quality foreign players participate in BPL. It will help local players regarding sharing dressing rooms’ – Mushfiqur Rahim © AFP

Rajshahi Kings were one of three franchises that voted for four overseas players in the playing XI for the BPL’s 2017 edition. Hafizur Rahman Khan, Kings’ chairman, said they took the majority decision “sportingly” after five of the eight franchises voted in favour of having a maximum of five overseas players in a line-up.

“We voted for four foreign players [in a playing XI],” Rahman said. “Three franchises voted for four players while five franchise voted for five players in the line-up. So the majority decision prevailed. We took it sportingly. We voted so that there was more participation of local players.”

Mushfiqur Rahim, who was revealed as Kings’ icon player for the 2017 tournament, said the five-player rule would create healthy competition among local players.

“It can be both positive and negative,” Mushfiqur said. “If five players play then one spot for local players will be reduced, but on the other hand the competition for local players will be increased.

“I think this kind of competition will help the local players because such practice of facing competition will help them in international level as well. High quality foreign players participate in BPL. It will help local players regarding sharing dressing rooms with such quality players,” he said.

Rahman’s reasoning echoes the general feeling among most local players, current and former, and some national players. The move to five foreigners, a return to the ruling from the 2012 and 2013 editions, is seen as a restriction of growth for local players. There’s also doubt of the quality of foreign players if so many are allowed, although the BPL governing council has set a minimum of three foreigners in a line-up.

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Source: ESPN Crickinfo