NEW T20 TOURNEY FOR CLUBS ON CARD

The newly-appointed chairman of Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis, Kazi Inam Ahmed, said on Tuesday he was planning to introduce a Twenty20 tournament for Dhaka-based clubs in order to give them exposures to the shortest format of the game.

‘We are thinking to host the tournament with top six or eight teams of Dhaka Premier League. The idea of hosting it with eight teams is because we believe it will add some competition,’ Inam told New Age.

‘Currently, top-six teams play in the Super League and the last three teams play in the relegation league. There is nothing for the teams that finish seventh or eighth. It will give them an option to look at.’

Inam’s comments came in less than a week after the end of cash-rich Bangladesh Premier League, where Bangladesh Cricket Board allowed as many as five foreign players in the playing eleven of each franchise.

Teams relied mostly on their foreign players to win the game, reducing the worth of local players significantly.

Some seasoned domestic campaigners did not even find a team in BPL while a few others had to warm the benches of their respective franchise almost during the entire tournament.

It sparked a criticism, promoting the BPL governing council to promise for a separate Twenty20 tournament for local players.

However, the players are unlikely to be benefited financially from the proposed Twenty20 tournament for the clubs as the new CCDM chairman said they have no plan to hold a separate players’ draft for it.

The CCDM was planning to retain the controversial ‘players’ by-choice’ transfer system for the upcoming Dhaka Premier League, which might start in late January.

The CCDM chairman said the league might start on January 20 and a date for the transfer could be finalised in their meeting with the clubs tentatively on January 2 or 3.

‘We have planned to hold the transfer in ‘players’ by-choice’ system this season. Some clubs requested us in this regard and they have a point,’ said Inam.

‘We considered that the national players will not be available this season as the league will be held in January-February. Clubs will be given a chance to retain four players.

‘If we hold the Twenty20 tournament, players will not get any extra money for this. Clubs almost don’t get any exposure for their money in the Premier League. Maybe we can compensate them somewhat with the Twenty20 tournament.’

Inam, who took over from Gazi Golam Murtoza, said they were planning to arrange live broadcasting for Twenty20 tournament and some Super League matches of the Dhaka Premier League.

‘Without broadcasting, this competition [Twenty20 tournament] will be meaningless. We are also trying to arrange broadcasting for some Super League matches, even if with five to six cameras,’ he added.

‘The most important thing is to bring the spectators back into the field. If we can hold the Twenty20 tournament, I am sure they will come... if spectators come to the field and matches go live on TV everyone will be encouraged. It will make our marketing effort easy and clubs will also get a sponsor.’