Following weeks of controversy surrounding the ownership of Sylhet Strikers, the team’s former owner Sarwar Chowdhury has once again spoken out. He claims that he never stated the ownership of the franchise belongs to Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. However, Sarwar insists that the allegations and the lawsuit he has filed were triggered by Mashrafe's influence and occurred in his presence.

Sarwar had earlier filed a case against Mashrafe and his friend Helal Bin Yusuf, accusing them of forcibly taking control of a large portion of Sylhet Strikers' ownership at gunpoint. In the case filed at the Pallabi Police Station, Sarwar claims that during the initial acquisition of the franchise from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), he was the chairman of the franchise. However, he alleges that Mashrafe and his associates later forcibly seized shares worth over 45 million BDT in 2023 without making any payment. Sarwar also claims he was threatened with death in the process.

Sylhet Strikers, however, responded by firmly denying the claims, stating that Mashrafe does not own even one percent of the franchise. In response to the statement, Sarwar said, “The official post from Sylhet Strikers says Mashrafe never held even 1% ownership, which is correct. I never claimed that Mashrafe officially held any shares. But what happened was that, in his presence, and under his influence, I was coerced into transferring shares to Helal Bin Yusuf using illegal means and under duress.”

Sarwar further elaborated that while some reports suggest Mashrafe himself threatened him with a weapon, it was actually Helal who carried the weapon, and Mashrafe supported him throughout the ordeal. “People are writing as if Mashrafe personally threatened me with a gun. It was Helal who held the weapon while Mashrafe stood by, supporting him. The entire operation took place with Mashrafe’s backing, which is exactly what I have mentioned in my complaint filed at Pallabi Police Station,” Sarwar added.

Despite the legal battle, Sarwar hinted that he would soon hold a press conference to further address the issue. Meanwhile, Sylhet Strikers are still scheduled to participate in the upcoming edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), adding another layer of intrigue to the ongoing saga.