Uncertainty looms large over the Dhaka Premier League this year as the Bangladesh Cricket Board is busy deciding dates for some other domestic competitions leaving little space for DPL start. The two rounds of Bangladesh Cricket League is all set start from April 28 after the National Cricket League, which is expected to conclude on April 22 with the final round commencing on April 19 in four venues across the country.
BCB’s tournament committee held a meeting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday to discuss the fate of the BCL that had to be suspended after two rounds of play.
‘The last round of the BCL will start from April 28 at the inner and outer grounds of Fatullah stadium,’ Ziaur Rahman, acting secretary of the tournament committee, told New Age.
‘The five-day final will be played at the SBNS from May 4 to 8.
‘We have decided to start the National Championship League thereafter,’ he added.
Asked whether he sees the prospect of DPL to be held anytime soon, the club organiser appeared clueless and said the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis should be in a better position to give the answer.
CCDM’s Chittagong-based chairman AZM Nasir could not be reached on phone despite several attempts.
Amin Khan, co-ordinator of the DPL, also could not give any answer regarding the fate of DPL.
‘I just don’t know when and how it is going to take place,’ said Amin.
‘India are coming in June and then it will be rainy season. The national team will fly to West Indies in August-September, so it’s really tough to find a slot,’ Amin said.‘We are not only worried about the premier league, but there are some concerns about the first and second division leagues which we also could not start,’ said Amin.
It was learnt that the players’ transfer for the first division was scheduled for January. The CCDM later shifted it to March but it could not be held as the board officials were busy with ICC World Twenty 20.
A BCB director, asking not to be named, said that some of them had preferred the league to start along with the last leg of ICC World Twenty20,
but the proposal did not get sufficient backing from the officials.
‘We knew that Bangladesh will not go too far and asked to think whether we can start it at different venues along with the World Twenty20,’ said the director.
‘So we asked to complete the player transfers before the start of the tournament but no one paid any heed as they were busy hosting the ICC event successfully,’ he added.
Another section of the BCB officials added that apart from that the clubs will again demand money from the Board as they got the taste of honey and milk that was provided earlier.
The BCB had earlier provided monetary rewards to the clubs as it was an election commitment of Nazmul Hasan-led panel.
-With New Age input
