Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League

The Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, also known as the Dhaka Premier League, is a club List A tournament in Bangladesh.[1]

Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League
CountriesBangladesh
AdministratorBangladesh Cricket Board
FormatList A
First edition1973–74
2013–14 (as List A competition)
Latest edition2022–23
Next edition2023–24
Tournament formatRound Robin
Number of teams12
Current championAbahani Limited (4th title)
Most successfulAbahani Limited (4 titles)
TVTsports & GTV

History

Since its inauguration in 1973–74 the league has been the premier club cricket competition in Bangladesh.[2] It gained List A status starting with the 2013–14 tournament, thus superseding the National Cricket League One-Day as Bangladesh's main List A competition.

In the years from 1973–74 to 2011–12, Abahani Limited won the championship 17 times.[3] Other winners were Mohammedan Sporting Club nine times, Biman Bangladesh Airlines five times, Victoria Sporting Club four times, Old DOHS Sports Club twice and Brothers Union once. There was no tournament in 2012–13.

To commemorate the centenary of the birth of the founding father of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the 2019–20 season of the league was named "Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2019–20".[4] However, the competition was postponed shortly after starting and later abandoned, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next tournament, in 2021–22, was officially named the "Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2021–2022 sponsored by Walton".[5]

List A winners

Since the tournament gained List A status, the winners have been:

Format

The competition is played as a round-robin, followed by play-off rounds among the top six teams for the championship and among the lowest three teams to determine relegation.

The 2013–14 competition ran from September to November 2014; the 2014–15 competition ran from November 2014 to January 2015; the 2015–16 competition ran from April to June 2016; the 2016–17 competition ran from April to June 2017; the 2017–18 competition ran from February to April 2018; the 2018–19 competition ran from March to April 2019; the 2019–20 competition began in March 2020, but was almost immediately postponed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic; the next tournament, 2021–22, ran from March to April 2022, and the 2022–23 tournament ran from March to May 2023.

All matches are played on neutral grounds in the Dhaka area. In 2016–17 only three grounds were used: Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, and Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan No 3 and No 4 Grounds in Savar. The same three grounds were used in 2017–18 and 2018–19, as well as Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

Players

The system of allocating players to clubs varies from season to season, but has elements of lottery.[14][15][16] Players frequently change clubs between seasons. Imrul Kayes, for example, played for Victoria Sporting Club in 2006–07 and 2014–15, Mohammedan Sporting Club in 2007–08, 2011–12 and 2022–23, Gazi Tank Cricketers in 2008–09 and 2013–14, Abahani Limited in 2009–10 and 2010–11, Brothers Union in 2015–16, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in 2016–17 and 2021–22, and Gazi Group Cricketers in 2017–18 and 2018–19.[17] Of the 22 players who appeared for Brothers Union in 2013–14,[18] only two were among the 20 Brothers Union players in 2014–15.[19]

From the 1980s to the 2019–20 competition most teams included players from outside Bangladesh.[2] In 2013–14 82 foreign players played in the competition.[20] Beginning with the 2015–16 competition, only one foreign player has been allowed in any playing eleven, although clubs are allowed to have several foreign players on their list;[21] in 2015–16 36 foreign players took part, including 22 Indians and 10 Sri Lankans.[22] Foreign players were excluded from the 2019–20 competition,[23] but were allowed again for the 2021–22 competition, with no more than one foreign player per team per match.[5]

Teams

There are 12 participating teams, changing each season with promotion and relegation. The two lowest-finishing teams are demoted to the second division (known as the Dhaka First Division League) for the next season and the top two teams in the second division are promoted.

2013–14

Cricket Coaching School played the first six matches but were demoted after failing to arrive at their seventh match in time to play.[24]

2014–15

Gazi Tank Cricketers changed their name to Legends of Rupganj.

2015–16

2016–17

2017–18

2018–19

2019–20

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was abandoned shortly after it began. The pandemic also prevented the 2020–21 tournament from going ahead.

2021–22

Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club were scheduled to take part, but withdrew shortly before the tournament began, leaving 11 teams.[25][5]

2022–23

Records

Highest score

Best bowling figures

Most runs in a season

Most wickets in a season

Other records

The fastest century is by Brendan Taylor, who reached 100 off 46 balls for Prime Bank against Kalabagan Cricket Academy in 2013–14.[28]

The highest team score is 393 for 4 by Abahani against Prime Doleshwar in 2017–18.[29]

References
  1. "Walton Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2014". Bangladesh Cricket Board. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  2. Isam, Mohammad. "The original premier league". Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  3. Isam, Mohammad. "No restriction on Pakistan players in Dhaka Premier League". Cricinfo. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  4. "General guideline" (PDF). Tiger Cricket. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  5. "Bangabandhu DPL to kick off today". The Daily Observer. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  6. "Morgan stars in Gazi Tank's title win". ESPN cricinfo. 29 November 2013.
  7. "Soumya Sarkar leads Prime Bank to title win". ESPN cricinfo. 4 January 2015.
  8. "Abahani thump Prime Bank to lift 18th title". ESPN cricinfo. 23 June 2016.
  9. "Gazi win maiden DPL title despite losing last game". ESPN cricinfo. 6 June 2017.
  10. Isam, Mohammad (5 April 2018). "Abahani Limited clinch 19th DPL title". ESPN cricinfo.
  11. "Abahani clinch DPDCL 2018–19 Title". Bangladesh Cricket Board. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  12. "Dhaka Premier League 'not possible' this year, can only start in January – Khaled Mahmud". ESPN cricinfo. 20 October 2020.
  13. Isam, Mohammad. "DPL: Abahani pip Sheikh Jamal at the final hurdle to lift 21st title". Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  14. Isam, Mohammad. "'Players by choice' transfer set to return in Dhaka league". Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  15. Isam, Mohammad. "BCB reverts to draft system for player transfers in DPL". Cricinfo. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  16. "Rules for the players' draft event" (PDF). TigerCricket. Bangladesh Cricket Board. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  17. "List A matches played by Imrul Kayes". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  18. "Batting for Brothers Union 2013–14". CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  19. "Batting for Brothers Union 2014–15". CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  20. Wisden India Almanack 2015, p. 117.
  21. Isam, Mohammad. "Manoj Tiwary signed by Abahani Limited to play Dhaka Premier League". Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  22. Isam, Mohammad; Kishore, Shashank. "Indians dominate overseas presence in DPL". Cricinfo. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  23. "Premier Cricket League: No foreign cricketer allowed this year". UNB. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  24. "Brothers Union v Cricket Coaching School 2013–14". CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  25. "Dhaka Premier League cricket begins Tuesday". UNB. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  26. Isam, Mohammad. "Raqibul's mammoth 190 headlines 705-run slugfest". Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  27. "Gazi Group destroy Abahani after Yeasin's record eight-for". Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  28. "Fastest hundreds in List A cricket". Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  29. "Abahani smash 393, the highest total in Bangladesh List A cricket". Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
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