BPL Scandal: Cummins and Ryan Burl Stuck in Dhaka as Durbar Rajshahi Fails to Clear Payments
Durbar Rajshahi has not cleared the payments of their foreign players and now they are not reachable.
Five foreign cricketers—Mohammad Haris, Aftab Alam, Mark Deyal, Ryan Burl, and Miguel Cummins—are stuck in Dhaka, waiting for their payments and return tickets. Their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) team, Durbar Rajshahi, has failed to clear their dues, and now the players are left with no answers.
The BPL started on January 31, but issues with Rajshahi’s payments began soon after. Even after 34 days, the franchise has not paid its players in full. While local players received 25% of their salaries, they are still waiting for the rest. The situation is even worse for the foreign players, who have received little beyond their initial payment.
Recently, Rajshahi issued new cheques to clear the dues, but all of them bounced. The players were left with nothing. At one point, Rajshahi’s foreign players even refused to take the field due to non-payment.
Now, Haris, Aftab, Deyal, Burl, and Cummins are stranded in a Dhaka hotel. They cannot leave because Rajshahi has not provided them with return tickets. The franchise’s owner and management have gone completely silent, leaving the players helpless.
BCB Warns of Legal Action
Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has warned Rajshahi that if payments are not made, legal action will follow.
“We have given them an ultimatum. If the payments are not made, there will be no more discussions—legal action will be taken,” he said.
BCB officials have admitted that they did not properly check Rajshahi’s financial condition before granting them a franchise license. “We should have assessed them better. This situation could have been avoided,” said BCB director Nazmul Abedin Fahim.
BCB President Faruque Ahmed also criticized Rajshahi, saying their actions have hurt the reputation of the BPL. “Rajshahi’s behavior is unacceptable. It could ruin the tournament,” he said.
As the players remain stuck in Dhaka, the pressure is now on Rajshahi to act. With legal warnings and growing criticism, the franchise must clear the dues and arrange return tickets, or they could face strict consequences.
