Rangpur Riders pay tribute to July uprising martyrs with red and green kit

Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Club Rangpur Riders started their practice for the upcoming Global Super League (GSL) at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday with red and green practice kit as a tribute to July uprising martyrs. Traditionally dressed in blue, the Rangpur Riders adopted red and green for their training jerseys, mirroring the colours of the Bangladeshi flag. This symbolic shift honours the resilience and sacrifice of those involved in the uprisings.

The front of the jersey features silhouettes of citizens raising the flag, a nod to the spirit of defiance that marked the protests. Splashes of red across the green fabric are designed to symbolise the blood of the martyrs, further reinforcing the theme of sacrifice and struggle.

Explaining the decision to alter the traditional blue, team director Shanian Tanim shared that the redesign reflects a broader representation of Bangladesh.

"As you can see, it's red and green. Normally, we use a blue theme for our jerseys at Rangpur Riders, but we felt that as we're representing Bangladesh, we should incorporate the national colours - at least for our practice jerseys," Tanim said. "You can see the people depicted on the lower part, holding the Bangladeshi flag, as a tribute."

"While it's primarily about showing respect to the movement, we're also thinking about representing the larger national picture. Bangladesh has been through a lot, and we hope the changes will lead to a better future," Tanim explained.

"We want to dedicate this jersey to everyone in Bangladesh. If people from all corners of the country see this and feel a sense of unity, even a bit more support for Rangpur, that alone would be a great achievement for us."

Rangpur Riders have commenced their training camp under assistant coach Mohammad Ashraful's guidance.

Speaking about the squad, Ashraful said, "Rangpur is a well-organized team, one of the top three or four sides in the BPL. Being part of such a team feels great. We'll have three more days of training followed by a practice match before heading to the West Indies for another four days of preparation. It's exciting to work in such a positive environment."

Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Club Rangpur Riders will participate in the five-team West Indian franchise cricket league, the Global Super League.
Rangpur Riders will compete in the overseas league along with four other teams from Australia, England, Pakistan and hosts West Indies.

The Global Super League, like the previous champions league T20, is expected to begin in the Caribbean Island Guyana on November 26.

Alongside Rangpur Riders, the tournament includes hosts Guyana Amazon Warriors, Pakistan's Lahore Qalandars, England's Hampshire Hawks, and Australia's Victoria. Fortune Barishal, the reigning champions of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), was initially invited to participate but declined, paving the way for Rangpur's inclusion.