In an unexpected turn of events, former owner of the Sylhet Strikers, Sarwar Chowdhury, has filed a lawsuit against Bangladeshi cricket legend Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.

The claim is Mashrafe allegedly forced his way into acquiring a significant share of ownership in the franchise, a move Sarwar says was done without proper financial transactions or his consent. The case, filed at the Pallabi Police Station in Dhaka, points to a serious conflict over the franchise's control.

According to Sarwar, he was the chairman of the Sylhet Strikers when the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) granted the team’s franchise rights. However, Sarwar alleges that Mashrafe and his associates forcibly took over a portion of the team’s shares in 2023, amounting to a whopping Tk 4.5 crore. Sarwar further claims that despite the transfer of shares, no payment was made in return. Instead, he faced threats to his life, prompting him to leave the country.

Sarwar's lawsuit also names Helal Bin Yousuf, a close associate of Mashrafe, as an accomplice in the takeover. The former owner held a 60% stake in the Sylhet Strikers, while the remaining 40% belonged to a third individual named Imam Hasan, who was introduced to Sarwar by Mashrafe as a close friend.

The legal conflict reportedly began after Sylhet Strikers, under Mashrafe’s leadership, performed well in the 2023 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). However, tensions soon surfaced, eventually leading to the fallout and the alleged forced takeover.

In August 2023, Sarwar claims he was summoned to Mashrafe’s office, where he was coerced into signing over 450,000 shares, each valued at Tk 100, to other parties. According to Sarwar, about 10-15 men confined him in the office, and Helal Bin Yousuf, allegedly pointing a weapon at him, demanded the transfer of the shares. Citing political pressure and fearing for his life, Sarwar left Bangladesh.