'Shakib, Liton might miss Ireland Test but not for IPL'

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon said that the board is maintaining its stance on not giving No Objection Certificates (NOC) to Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das for the Indian Premier League. 

However, Liton and Shakib still might not play the lone Test against Ireland, starting from April 4 in Dhaka, but that does not mean that they have been granted NOC for IPL, according to the BCB boss.   

On Friday, following Bangladesh's defeat against Ireland in the final T20I in Chattogram, BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon was asked to shed light on the truth regarding the rumours.

"This question again? When the IPL asked regarding the time frame of the players' availability, we informed them when they will be available. They have included them based on that and that's how we will release the players [to play IPL]," Papon said. 

"We haven't informed anything [to media] but now, if you have given him the NOC [through rumours], you can do that but we don't know anything outside of that. We have been saying the same thing over and over again. We have even heard that NOC has already been given. The only problem is we don't know about it," the BCB boss added.  

Mustafizur Rahman is not in the BCB's red-ball contract and will be available to play the IPL during the Tests but both Shakib and Liton Das are now expected to play against Ireland in Dhaka. The BCB president, however, put doubt on their availability in both Test and IPL.

Asked whether the players will go after the Test, Papon said: "That's a matter for later. As things are, maybe they won't play the Test but that doesn't mean they are going to the IPL. Don't mix these things up. Take things one by one."

When the follow-up question was posed on whether Liton and Shakib will play the Test, the BCB president said: "I don't see a reason not to. They aren't injured so why won't they play? That's how I see things at the moment.

There have been reports in the media that the IPL-bound cricketers have received NOC to play the franchise-based tournament in India and are set to miss Bangladesh's lone Test against Ireland.

There were also reports suggesting that Bangladesh Test skipper Shakib Al Hasan will be excused from the Test match against Ireland with Liton set to step in as the stand-in captain for the Ireland Test as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has gone back from their previous position of not allowing players to play in the franchise league during national team assignments.