Controversy Strikes GT20 Canada as Toronto Nationals Advance Over Bangla Tigers in Questionable Decision

The GT20 Canada league was embroiled in significant controversy on Friday, August 9th, involving the Bangla Tigers Mississauga Cricket Team, led by Shakib Al Hasan, and the Toronto Nationals Cricket Team during the tournament's Eliminator match.

The two teams were scheduled to face off, but the match was washed out due to a wet outfield caused by persistent rain. According to the tournament's rules, it seemed certain that Shakib Al Hasan’s Bangla Tigers would advance to the next round, as they were higher in the points table compared to the Toronto Nationals. Additionally, the Bangla Tigers had previously defeated the Nationals in their league encounter, further solidifying their expected qualification.

However, in a surprising and controversial move, GT20 Canada announced that the Toronto Nationals had qualified for Qualifier 2 instead. Despite the wet conditions, the match referee attempted to organise a Super Over to determine a result, a decision that contradicted ICC rules, which state that Super Overs are only used in the event of a tied match.

The Bangla Tigers refused to participate in the Super Over, with Shakib Al Hasan arguing against the decision and declining to go for the toss, as the outfield remained unfit for play. Following Shakib’s refusal, the GT20 Canada league declared the Toronto Nationals as the team advancing to Qualifier 2. They even shared this outcome on social media, though the posts were later deleted.

According to the official rules, "a minimum of 5 overs must be played to determine a result. A 1-over contest, or Super Over, is only applicable in tied games." The referee’s decision to initiate a Super Over in this context was a clear violation of these guidelines.