Former skipper Habibul Bashar and 12 other leading Bangladesh players will form a new team called the Dhaka Warriors in the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL) this year, organizers said on Tuesday. The Twenty20 league is not recognized by the national governing bodies in the International Cricket Council and the players will be banned from Test cricket. Bashar, his former deputy Shahriar Nafees, all-rounder Alok Kapali and wicketkeeper Diman Ghosh were presented at an ICL news conference. Bashar told reporters all-rounders Farhad Reza and Aftab Ahmed had also signed. Organizers said they will play in the Twenty20 league's second season starting on Oct. 10 and featuring 34 matches at four venues. Bashar, 36, rejected criticism that the players had betrayed Bangaldesh cricket by joining the ICL, which is backed by the promoters of India's biggest listed media firm, Zee Telefilms Ltd. “I don't think that is right,” he told reporters. “We do have many players and the ICL is not going to stop us from playing for Bangladesh.” At least seven Bangladesh players have surprised their national board by seeking early retirements. Bashar, Nafees, Aftab, Reza, Ghosh and left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain requested early retirement on Sunday. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has convened a meeting of its executive committee on Wednesday after the original six players summoned to attend the cricket operations committee failed to respond. The ICL list also named pacemen Manjural Islam, Mohammad Sharif and Tapash Baisya, wicketkeeper Mabud Chowdhury, batsman Mahbubul Karim, spinners Mohammad Rafique and Mosharraf Hossain. – Reuters __
