Caribbean pacer Krishmar Santokie has come under the radar of the anti-corruption unit for his “suspicious looking” wide and no-ball in the same over of the opening game of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20.
Sylhet Thunder’s left-arm Jamaican pacer bowled two extremely wild deliveries in the space of three balls during their clash with Chattogram Challengers at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday (Dec 11).
As per reports, Sylhet team director Tanjil Chowdhury has requested the Bangladesh Cricket Board to look into the wide and no-ball by Santokie.
“The no-ball that he bowled is suspicious. He [Santokie] has not yet been called by the BCB but I have lodged my complaint. I verbally requested CEO [Nizamuddin Chowdhury] and Morshed [BCB anti-corruption head] to investigate the matter [no ball],” revealed Tanjil, also a BCB director, to a cricket based website Thursday (Dec 12).
“We [BCB directors] don't have anything to do with the playing XI. It is upto the management and the coach. I asked the sponsors whether they interfered in the playing XI and they are refusing to say anything. Now we have to talk with the team management and know whether anyone influenced them to play Santokie because it seems he is associated with spot-fixing,” Tanjil further said.
As per reports, Sylhet sponsor Jivani Footwear Company had come under Tanjil’s suspicion from the day of the players’ draft, held on Nov 17, as the sponsor representatives were hell-bent on buying some particular players.
Tanjil and team advisor Sarwar Imran, a veteran Bangladeshi coach, ended up in arguments with the sponsor representatives after not agreeing to the latter’s players of choice.
“On the day of the players’ draft, there was a lot of conflict between us. I and Imran were convinced with certain decisions. The sponsors were insisting on taking a few cricketers, and we were not sure why they were insisting on picking those particular cricketers,” Tanjil said.
“We had the chance to pick Naim Sheikh and other players. But they preferred to pick players like Sohag Gazi and Santokie. That is the reason we have started doubting them. I have informed BCB governing council members and the BCB president," the BCB director added.