DHAKA, May 30, 2021 (BSS)—The Dhaka Premier League (DPL), the most coveted cricket tournament of the country is set to roll onto the ground tomorrow in accordance with the standard health protocol, much to the relief of the most of the cricketers for whom the tournament is the main income source.
This year’s DPL is named ‘Bangabandhu DPL Sponsored by Walton’ to celebrate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
A total of 12 teams will participate for the most prestigious trophy. Six matches will be held every day in three venues—Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS), BKSP-3 and BKSP-4. In every venue, the first match will be held at 9 AM while the second match is from 1.30 PM.
The teams will remain the same as the league was postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic last year after one round. The cricketers will play in the previous club. New free players like Shakib Al Hasan (who did not play the previous year) have joined the team with special permission. Instead the format of the league is changed as it will be held in T20 format with the upcoming T20 World Cup in mind.
Defending champions Abahani Limited will take on Parext Sporting Club at SBNCS, which will also host the match between Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Khelaghar Samaj Kallayan Samity.
Legends of Rupganj will face off against Old DOHS at BKSP-3 and later in this venue, Prime Bank will lock horns with Gazi Group Cricketers.
Prime Doleshwar will play against Brothers Union at BKSP before Mohammedan Sporting Club battles Shinepukur Cricket Club in this venue in the second game.
The league also got a new perspective as the national players will be available for the whole season.
The whole league will be held in bio-bubble to protect the players and officials from the Covid-19. The BCB had already selected four hotels to keep the players, umpires, and officials. The board also gave a bus for each team.
“The players, officials and others involved in the league will have to follow the rules of bio-bubble strictly. BCB will be extremely harsh if someone fails to oblige,” Kazi Inam, the chairman of Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis, the guardian of Dhaka Clubs said here today.
Apart from paying the players, the BCB in fact is bearing the whole expenditure, which the clubs were supposed to do. The players and other stakeholders of the league will be tested for the virus repeatedly. Most of the players however entered into the bio-bubble after being negative in the test. There are some players who tested positive, but are kept in isolation. Once they will return negative, they step into the bio-bubble.
The BCB was reluctant to run the league, considering the fact that it would be extremely tougher to create a bio-bubble for the 12 teams. But since it’s the main bread and butter for most of the cricketers in the country, they have taken this risk.
“We have taken the risk of running Dhaka League amid this pandemic as it is the main income source of the most cricketers of the country. We have taken up the challenge of successfully organizing the league. We are keeping 12 teams in bio-bubble. It’s a huge challenge. We have taken up that challenge in the interest of the country’s cricket,” BCB media committee chairman Jalal Younus said.
“I hope the stakeholders will not do anything that could break the bio-bubble and leave all in danger. I hope everyone will follow the rules.”