BCB looking at January next year for DPL restart
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Khaled Mahmud reiterated that BCB are positive about holding the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) and are looking at the beginning of next year to hold the tournament.
Cricket had been halted in the country since mid-March this year following the outbreak of coronavirus when the DPL was paused after the first round of matches. Due to the number of teams and players involved in the tournament, BCB are yet to come to a solution on how to hold the tournament with a big bio bubble requirement.
"We will have to plan for 270 people and where they will stay and that is a big question. The BCB is positive but first we have to sit with CCDM. We want the league to start again since the future of lot of boys are at stake," Mahmud said.
He informed that talks are ongoing with BKSP on accommodation for players. "We're talking and working with the BKSP and how many we can accommodate there. There is the matter of where we can play the matches and also the bio bubble. Even if we play a single league format, there are 10 matches left and we have to find out how much time will be needed to hold the tournament."
BCB are currently planning for the corporate T20 league and the timing of that tournament meant that DPL cannot restart this year.
"It's not really possible to do DPL this year. If we do play, it can be in January since we're already committed with the T20 league which will run from November to middle of December. We have to provide opportunity for the clubs' training and gather the players. With all that in mind, it might not be possible to start before January 10," he informed.
West Indies are also set to tour Bangladesh next year and Mahmud reiterated that due to BCB's busy international schedule next year, the clubs will have to decide whether DPL can take place at the same time when top players will not be available due to international duty. "We have a busy schedule next year and except March-April, we do not have much time (to hold the tournament).