The allegation of favouritism reared its ugly head in the Dhaka Premier League when Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis deferred the crucial match between Gazi Group and Victoria Sporting Club by a day on Tuesday. The unexpected move of CCDM left many cricket organisers shocked as it not only broke the format followed so far in the league but also opened door for Gazi to get an undue advantage.
So far three games played each day concurrently in three venues with rain taking few matches into reserve day. But the CCDM took an exception in the final round when club organisers said it was more crucial to hold the matches at a time.
Gazi must beat Victoria in the match and at the same time improve their run rate to take them through to the six-team Super League.
Currently five teams – Prime Bank, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Kalabagan KC and Gazi Group – are in contention for two remaining slots.
If Mohammedan lose to Jamal and Gazi beat Victoria five teams will finish the first phase with equal 12 points. In that case head-to-head record will also be equal as Gazi won their matches against Kalabagan and Prime Bank but lost to Mohammedan and Jamal.
The fate of the team, belonged to CCDM chairman Gazi Golam Mortaza, will then be decided through run rate, something that they will get a chance to improve provided the know the requirement.
Their match against Victoria was originally scheduled today at Fatullah but the CCDM though an email on Tuesday said it has been deferred by a day due to unavoidable circumstance.
DPL coordinator Amin Khan said they had to defer the game due to unfavourable ground condition.
‘Grounds committee failed to cover the field today [Tuesday], which left it unplayable,’ he said. The matches in two other venues will go ahead as the grounds seemed okay in Mirpur and BKSP.’
When asked if that will give Gazi an unfair advantage over others, Amin said it is their luck.
‘Probably they are lucky. We did not do it intentionally,’ he said.
Mohammedan official Ziaur Tapu lambasted the CCDM for making the last minute change to give Gazi an advantage.
‘Gazi Group belonged to CCDM chairman Gazi Gulam Mortaza and its member secretary Rakib Haider, so we were not surprised by this decision,’ he said.
‘It is just not acceptable but we are helpless. It seems CCDM is run on the direction of some quarters,’ he said. ‘It is clear that they had made the change to serve a team. Perhaps this is what we call muscle power.
‘Throughout the league we observed double-standard and we had to accept whatever they say,’ he said.
-With New Age input
