National cricketers go on strike

National cricketers of Bangladesh, including the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim gathered at the BCB Academy ground in Mirpur today to put forward an 11-point demand and announced that they have gone on a strike and will boycott all cricket-related activities.

At around 3:00pm, cricketers of varying standing took the microphone at the Academy Ground and announced the 11-point demand, the basic thrust of which was to increase players' say in cricket matters and an improvement of the pay packages of domestic cricketers.

The demands were not restricted to cricketers -- Tamim, the sixth to take the microphone, urged for an improvement of pay packages for groundsmen, as well as for more respect and remuneration for local coaches, who he said suffered in comparison with foreign coaches. 

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While the national cricketers, who play first division cricket are part of this strike, no age-level cricketers were included among those seeking the 11-point demands to be met by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

There have been rumours that there are issues of salary decrement fort the upcoming seventh edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

There have been ongoing rumours that the players were unhappy about various issues. It was heard that they were going to take an action but they never disclosed anything in the media. Today the players invited journalists to the BCB Academy ground in Mirpur for a press conference where they announced their decision.

The Bangladesh cricket team are scheduled to play three-match T20I series and a two-match Test series in India in November with the first T20I slated to begin on November 3 at Delhi and the tour is in doubt following the cricketers' boycott.