Clubs in agreement over playing DPL after meeting with BCB

The ice on the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) status quo is breaking after a fruitful meeting between clubs and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday evening.

Representatives from 10 clubs participated in the meeting, which was attended by BCB ad hoc committee president Tamim Iqbal and committee member Minhajul Abedin.

‘We are hopeful about starting the league on May 3 or 4. BCB has taken three days to decide the dates for players’ transfer and the clubs have agreed,” Ziaur Rahman Topu, representing Mohammedan, told The Daily Star on Thursday.

During a press brief, Topu also informed that the clubs agreed to a single league format for this edition, instead of the usual league phase followed by the Super League and the relegation league.

“This time it will be held in a single league format where 11 matches for each team will decide the championship. All the clubs agreed since the cricket season is almost at a stage where rain is going to disrupt proceedings. So, we are trying to hold it within a short span of time. Due to the rain, we have also discussed how we can use reserve days,” he said.

Legends of Rupganj and Brothers Union were absent from the meeting but are understood to be in agreement.

Earlier, rift between clubs and the board had opened up over alleged irregularities in the BCB election on October 6 last year.

The National Sports Council (NSC) dissolved the board led by president Aminul Islam Bulbul on April 7 and appointed former Bangladesh captain Tamim as president of an 11-member ad hoc committee. It paved the way for the board to convince revolting club officials to take part in the DPL, the bread and butter of majority of the country’s cricketers.