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.

History

Since its inauguration in 1974–75 the league has been the premier club cricket competition in Bangladesh. 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 1974–75 to 2011–12, Abahani Limited won the championship 17 times. 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".

List A winners

Since the tournament gained List A status, the winners have been:
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 mid-September to late November 2014; the 2014–15 competition ran from mid-November 2014 to early 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 early March to late April 2019; the 2019-20 competition begins in mid-March 2020.
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. 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 and 2011–12, 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 2019–20, and Gazi Group Cricketers in 2017–18 and 2018–19. Of the 22 players who appeared for Brothers Union in 2013–14, only two were among the 20 Brothers Union players in 2014–15.
Up to the 2019-20 competition most teams included players from outside Bangladesh. In 2013–14 82 foreign players played in the competition. From 2015–16 only one foreign player has been allowed in any playing eleven, although clubs are allowed to have several foreign players on their list; in 2015-16 36 foreign players took part, including 22 Indians and 10 Sri Lankans. Foreign players were excluded from the 2019-20 competition.

Teams

There are 12 participating teams, changing each season with promotion and relegation. The two lowest-finishing teams are demoted to the second division 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.

2014–15

Old DOHS Sports Club and Partex Sporting Club were promoted in place of Cricket Coaching School and Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity.
Gazi Tank Cricketers changed their name to Legends of Rupganj.

2015–16

Cricket Coaching School and Gazi Group Cricketers were promoted in place of Old DOHS Sports Club and Partex Sporting Club.

2016–17

Partex Sporting Club and Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity returned in place of Cricket Coaching School and Kala Bagan Cricket Academy.

2017–18

Agrani Bank Cricket Club and Shinepukur Cricket Club were promoted in place of Victoria Sporting Club and Partex Sporting Club.

2018–19

Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan and Uttara Sporting Club were promoted in place of Agrani Bank Cricket Club and Kala Bagan Krira Chakra.

2019–20

Old DOHS Sports Club and Partex Sporting Club returned, replacing Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan and Uttara Sporting Club.

Records

Highest score

The fastest century is by Brendan Taylor, who reached 100 off 46 balls for Prime Bank against Kalabagan Cricket Academy in 2013–14.
The highest team score is 393 for 4 by Abahani against Prime Doleshwar in 2017–18.