BCB plans DPL in BKSP and Cox’s Bazar

English News Desk : The Bangladesh Cricket Board is planning to host the Dhaka Premier League at BKSP and Cox’s Bazar though the dates are yet to be finalised. The Cricket Welfare Association of Bangladesh had an online meeting with leading cricketers on Tuesday (July 7) where the future of the DPL was discussed. The tournament started in March this year but only one round was played, with the COVID-19 situation bringing it to an abrupt halt.

Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) – a BCB wing in charge of conducting different domestic leagues in Dhaka, CWAB chairman Kazi Inam Ahmed (who is also a BCB director) and BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury were present during the meeting.

Inam, through a media release by the BCB, stated that they cannot confirm the dates of DPL but insisted they have informed the clubs to be in constant touch with the players so that they can start the DPL in a two-week notice. “Yesterday, I attended a meeting with CWAB and several national-team and first-class cricketers. We spoke about a possible start of the DPL season. At this point we can’t confirm a date but want the DPL clubs to be in regular touch virtually with players to make sure the players can maintain fitness.

“The clubs should be prepared to start the league when the situation is suitable with a short notice of 15 days,” said Inam. “I suggested Cox’s Bazar or BKSP as alternate venues and that all players and club management accommodation can be arranged with strict measures of isolation.

Inam also mentioned that the CWAB urged the BCB to make sure that players received 50 percent payment from their respective clubs. “The players of Brothers Union and Partex raised concerns that they have not received payments this season. CCDM had already advised the clubs to pay 50% payment before the league started despite the fact that players’ payments this season are under direct contract with teams,” he said.

“We hope once cricket resumes in the country we will have DPL to start with and this is something even the board president has said in several previous conversations,” Inam said.

A meeting between the clubs and the BCB is scheduled next week but it is highly unlikely that any decision regarding the DPL will come before Eid-ul-Azha (a vacation period from July 30 to August 3).