CHENNAI: Even as Irfan Pathan faces BCCI’s ire for violating rules by forwarding his name for the 2019 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft, another domestic cricketer might land in trouble for playing in a foreign T20 league. Uttar Pradesh player Rinku Singh, who featured for Kolkata Knight Riders in five matches this season, helped Deccan Gladiators to Abu Dhabi Cricket’s Ramadan T20 Cup title with his all-round efforts (104 runs and 2 wickets) in the final.
The performance might have fetched Rinku the Man of the Final award but his stint in the league could also spell trouble for the left-hand batsman. The player had a forgettable 2019 IPL season scoring just 37 runs. The quarterfinals of Ramadan T20 Cup was held on May 14 and 15 followed by two semifinals the next day. The final was played on May 17 wherein Gladiators defeated New Medical Centre by 31 runs.
An official release by the Abu Dhabi Cricket read that Rinku had played a similar role while leading Alubond Tigers to the 2017 Ramadan T20 title. Rinku, then too, had smashed a 60-ball 94 to beat UAE skipper Rohan Mustafa’s One Stop Tourism (OST) by three wickets, added the release.
Former India all-rounder Pathan recently came under scanner after he sent his name for the CPL draft without retiring from all forms of the cricket. When asked about Pathan’s moves, BCCI sources have said that only those players, who have retired from all forms of cricket, can play in foreign leagues. With Rinku still playing domestic cricket for Uttar Pradesh, the same set of rules makes him ineligible to play in foreign leagues. Even Yuvraj Singh reportedly sought BCCI’s permission to play in foreign T20 leagues after retiring from cricket.
Rinku made his first-class debut for Uttar Pradesh against Punjab in November 2016. He last played for UP in January this year against Mumbai in the Super League Group B match of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Rinku, who bowls right-arm off break, was recently picked in India A squad for two four-day matches against visiting Sri Lanka. The first match begins on May 25 while the second match begins on June 1.
BCCI chief executive officer Rahul Johri and Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) acting secretary Yudhvir Singh remained unavailable for their comments despite repeated attempts. UPCA media manager Dharmendra Tripathi when contacted expressed his inability to comment on the issue saying he is relatively new in the association.