Foreign players cut off from upcoming DPL

This year's Dhaka Premier League (DPL) will see no foreign players included as CCDM Chairman Kazi Inam Ahmed said that this was an opportunity for the local players.

The league will kick off on March 15 and the date for the player transfers has been set from March 3 to March 5. This was confirmed by Kazi Inam Ahmed in a press conference at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). 

Foreign players have been a part and parcel of DPL and it is the first time since the beginning days of the league that foreign players will not take part. Many great players such as - Wasim Akram, Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Ajay Jadeja, Selim Malik, Shoaib Malik, Sourav Ganguly, Mohammad Yusuf, Izaz Ahmed, Ramesh Kaluvitharana, Richard Illingworth, Upul Tharanga - played in this traditional tournament. But this time around, only Bangladeshi players will take part and Inam said that decision was taken after discussing with the board and the teams. 

"No foreign players will take part in this year's DPL. This is a massive opportunity for the local players. Foreign players don't take part in BCL, NCL and we want to implement that too this year. We have taken this decision after talking to the board and the clubs," Inam said.

He also disclosed when the tournament is going to kick off and also the transfer period. 

"DPL will kick off on March 15. We have set the date for transfers from March 3 to March 5. As the national team will be in Sylhet at that time, there will be a desk for the players to sign up for the transfers," Inam added.

Inam further added that there will be no 'player by choice' this time around as the players had demanded it to be discarded. The transfers will be open this time around the players will choose their team. 

A T20 tournament will be arranged after the Super League round with the teams participating in the Super League, Inam informed. 

"There will be a T20 tournament with the six teams from the Super League stage. The tournament will be a single leg affair to ensure that each team have five matches to play."

Inam further added that the teams playing in the T20 tournament will be given the option to bring in three players from the teams which will not make it to there. 

A lot of matches will be played outside Dhaka and the primary venue has been set to be Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, Inam told the media. The reason behind it was to give the wickets at Mirpur and BKSP a proper rest and to ensure that the matches were played on quality wickets. He also added that BCB will carry all the costs of travelling and accommodation for the teams in the matches outside Dhaka. 

The CCDM Chairman further added that the matches will be telecast live. He further added, "There were no complaints about umpiring in the last couple of years. We will try to continue that."