Country’s top cricketers are unlikely to be available in the first few matches of next Dhaka Premier League as its proposed schedule clashes with the ICC World Twenty20.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board in its proposed domestic calendar said the next edition of DPL will start on March 14, 2016. The ICC World Twenty20 is scheduled from March 11 to April 3 where Bangladesh will play in the qualifying round.
The BCB will approve the proposed annual domestic calendar in their next board meeting to be held on August 22.
According to the proposed calendar, the domestic season will start with the National Cricket League, country’s traditional first-class tournament, from October 1.
From mid October franchise-based Under-19 longer version competition is slated.
The third edition of much-talked Bangladesh Premier League, the money-spinning Twenty20 tournament, is dated from November 22 to December 15.
The franchise-based Bangladesh Cricket League will be held from the first week of January and will be completed in February.
The top cricketers are also unlikely to play in the BCL as its schedule clashes with the home series against Zimbabwe.
Bangladesh will play two Tests, three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe from January 20 to February 16.
The BCB officials said they are eager to finish the BCL before national players join their camp for the ICC World Twenty20.
‘Since the schedule is very tight, we have no choice but to hold BCL at the same time with Zimbabwe series,’ said BCB tournament committee coordinator Omar Hossain.
BCL’s proposed schedule also clashes with the ICC Under-19 World Cup which will be held in Bangladesh from January 22 to February 14.
The BCB however could not finalise the date for DPL players’ transfer, though the transfer schedule for First Division Cricket League has been fixed from September 13 and 14.
The First Division League is expected to be held in October.
-With New Age input
