BANGLADESH CRICKET

PLAYERS POOL ON CARDS IN DPL


Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is mulling to re-introduce pool system in the upcoming Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, country’s traditional 50-over Dhaka’s club based cricket tournament.

Several players and officials confirmed daily sun that they are getting information about the latest development in the method as the system might feature 48 players in a player’s pool with each team having the right to have four players in their squad.

Though a decision in this regard is yet to be taken, according to BCB officials, the proposal will be placed to Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis Chairman Kazi Inam when he returns to the country from abroad.
“The proposal of introducing pool for DPL was discussed but nothing is finalised yet. We are waiting for CCDM Chairman to arrive and later will take a decision in this regard. If it is approved then we will prepare the pool accordingly,” said a member of the national selection panel on request of anonymity.

One of the most important points in the cricketers’ 13-point demand was a return to the traditional players’ transfer system through which players can choose their own clubs and negotiate their salaries in DPL, instead of players-by-choice system which was first introduced in 2013.

In an almost instant response, Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis decided to return to the players’ transfer system for the upcoming season.

But with the players’ pool in place, it is unlikely that all the players will receive the amount of money which they were expecting.

“Looks like the players who have already confirmed their teams and signed are in a safe position but for others who are yet to sign for any clubs, it is not the same because now clubs will try to exploit the players,” said a national cricketer on request of not to be named.

Another cricketer revealed that a club despite promising to pick him has now backtracked after there was rumor that a player’s pool might be in place.
“One club official contacted me and said that they are thinking to pick me and I accepted their offer asking them that they should pay me in cash. All of a sudden the club official called me and said that they are not ready to sign me as they want to see how it goes in the transfer market,” said a seasoned domestic campaigner.

“I am playing cricket for more than ten years and I understood that these officials are waiting for the opportunity (players pool) to corner us and then pick us in their team for cheap,” he said.

“At that point our demands won’t be met and more importantly we will have to comply with their financial offer,” he added.

Mohammedan Sporting Club official Tarikul Islam who has been involved with DPL for a long period of time, said that they are not clear if the players’ pool system is in place and how it will work eventually.

“Yes. They can take four from the forty eight players. I just heard from a reliable source that forty eight players will be in pool and each team can have four players from there,” Tarikul told daily sun.

“No one can take more than four players from one pool but if a player is not selected by any team then he will be up for grabs,” he said.

“I am aware that many players are yet to confirm their teams despite the fact that some clubs have already formed their squad. I think those players will be in trouble unless they start downsizing their salary,” he said.

A cricketer who had played for Tk 20 lakhs in the last season asked for mammoth Tk 55 lakhs for this season and according to Tarikul, this sort of absurd demands will only put the players into trouble.