Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne picked a number of retired cricketers from around the world to feature in the All-Star T20 series, which includes three matches in the US. Players from various countries participated in the first T20 match in New York, but Bangladesh was devoid of any representation as none were picked for the series.
Amongst the 30 cricketers that were picked by Tendulkar and Warne, most of them are from the sub-continent and also cricketers from Australia, South Africa amongst other cricket nations are present, which makes it a galaxy of international stars.
With no players from Bangladesh in the All-Star series, former Bangladesh Test captain, Naimur Rahman, who is also the current Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Director feels that the legends --Tendulkar and Warne -- have disrespected Bangladesh by not picking any player from the nation.
"By not selecting any player from our country for the All-Stars matches, Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne have not shown respect to our cricket," The Asian Age quoted Rahman as saying.
Bangladesh are relatively new to international cricket when compared to cricket-playing nations such as England, Australia and Pakistan amongst others. Bangladesh does not possess legends such as Brian Lara and Tendulkar, but they have some players, who have done decently well at the international circuit.
"We may not have produced Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara but have good players like Habibul Bashar, Khaled Mahmud, Akram Khan and Khaled Mashud. These are few of the great players our country has produced and few of them could have easily found place in the series," he added.
But to be fair, one is not surprised with Khan, Mashud and others not being selected in the squad, for the names, which have been picked for the series are all-time greats including Curtly Ambrose, Allan Donald and Wasim Akram amongst others. These players have been among the greatest players during their days.
With such an array of stars in Tendulkar's Blasters and Warne's Warriors, some big players such as Glen McGrath had to sit out of the starting eleven in the first T20. Rahman feels that it was not a problem had their players being picked and not played in the series, but they could have at least found a place in the team squad.
"We would not have been bothered if our player was not in the playing XI but at least they could have been in the team," added Rahman.
Warne's Warriors defeated Sachin's Blasters in the first T20 in New York by six wickets. The second T20 match is set to be played at Minute Maid Park in Houston on 11 November.
