Why Shakib's Bangla Tigers refused to play Super Over in GT20 Eliminator?

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has once again found himself at the center of controversy, this time during the Global T20 Canada 2024. 

The incident unfolded far from home as Shakib’s team, Bangla Tigers Mississauga, forfeited the crucial Eliminator match, leading to their elimination from the tournament.

The controversy erupted when persistent rain delayed the start of the Eliminator match between Bangla Tigers Mississauga and Toronto Nationals in Brampton, Ontario. 

With the rain continuing and the clock ticking past the cut-off time, match officials decided to resolve the deadlock with a Super Over—a decision in line with the tournament's regulations.

However, Shakib Al Hasan, captain of Bangla Tigers Mississauga, protested against this decision by refusing to attend the toss scheduled before the Super Over. Bangla Tigers' owner, Zafir Yasin, supported Shakib's stance, arguing that a five or ten-over match should have been played instead to determine the winner. 

Their refusal to participate resulted in the Toronto Nationals being declared the winners, propelling them to Qualifier 2, which they ultimately won before clinching the tournament title.

Joy Bhattacharjya, CEO of Global T20 Canada, defended the tournament's decision, emphasizing that the rules regarding the Super Over were clear from the beginning. 

"We were trying to ensure there was a result either way, however heartbreaking as it may be for the team that loses a one-over shootout. And it was all part of the regulations," Bhattacharjya said.

A similar situation had occurred during Qualifier 1 between Brampton Wolves and Montreal Tigers, where continuous rain and wet ground conditions led to the match being called off. 

The Montreal Tigers advanced to the final due to their higher position on the points table, as a Super Over was not feasible.

The match officials had set a strict timeline for the Eliminator, with the toss scheduled for 7:10 pm and the Super Over to begin at 7:30 pm. If the Super Over had not commenced by 7:50 pm, Bangla Tigers Mississauga would have automatically advanced to Qualifier 2 due to their higher ranking. 

However, by refusing to participate, Shakib Al Hasan and his team forfeited the match, allowing Toronto Nationals to move forward.

The GLT20 issued a statement explaining that Toronto Nationals were present for the toss, while Bangla Tigers Mississauga refused to appear, leading the umpire to award the match to Toronto Nationals. 

It is also believed that Bangla Tigers were unhappy with the shortened boundaries, which were adjusted before the official cut-off time to avoid dangerous areas of play.

"At the time of the toss, the Toronto Nationals captain was present, but the Bangla Tigers team refused to appear. The match referee explained the plausible consequences of the said action to the captain [Shakib Al Hasan] and thereafter the umpire subsequently awarded the match to Toronto Nationals," GLT20 said in a statement.