Braving the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) worldwide, the teams participating in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) are turning out in the field almost everyday to conduct their training sessions so that they can take part in the upcoming traditional club cricket of the country.

The List-A cricket tournament is scheduled to get under way at different grounds in Dhaka and its adjacent areas from Sunday. The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolitan (CCDM), the apex body of the domestic clubs, released the fixture of the first round of the DPL, which will start without foreign players participating.

Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club and Mohammedan Sporting Club (MSC) conducted their respective practice sessions at noon while Abahani Limited and Shinepukur Cricket Club held their training sessions in the morning. Doleshwar head coach Mizanur Rahman Babul is guiding the team, as he has done in the previous editions. The players, split into a few groups, were seen conducting their training sessions, and Rahman was supervising them.

Rahman said they have formed a well-balanced team for the current season, which is why they expect to play better cricket in the premier league. However, they are concerned about their pace bowlers’ injuries. “We, Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club, always maintain our practice schedules. This time, too, was no exception. We have started our practice a week before the schedule period,” Rahman said. “We’ve worked on gym and fitness for the players. We’ve played a practice match. Alhamdulillah, our practice has been very good. We’re ready for our game. We’ve a game on the opening day, and just a day remains for it. We’ll try to play better cricket throughout the tournament, Inshaallah,” Rahman told media-persons after their practice session at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Mirpur yesterday.   

“When we think about it, we are in shape. But we do have some injuries in the team, which is a matter of concern for us. But overall, everything is okay,” he added. Citing the names of all-rounders Shamim Patwary and Forhad Reza coupled with pacer Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Rahman said it would be better for them if these players had been fit.

“We have Shamim Patwary (U-19), who has a ligament injury. Even our captain Forhad Reza has been injured. He needs some more days to heal,” he said. “Kamul Islam Rabbi bowled today. We saw him. He put in 70 percent of his efforts in bowling. It’s a matter of hope for us that he could do 70 per cent. Our bowling line-up could have been damaged further,” he added.

“I always try to promote new boys in my team. This year we have picked Rezaul Hossain Raza, who claimed five wickets in our practice match. He is promising. He bowled in NCL and BCL. He played one or two matches last year. He will remain from the beginning,” he said.

He said that wickets in premier league are helpful for batsmen, for which, if any team has two to three skilled players, they could turn the game for them. “Premier League is different. I see it in a different way. Here there is no strong or big-small team. All are same. Those who play better cricket will be the winners,” he said. “Wickets are a batsman’s paradise. If any team has two or three skilled players, they can help the team win. So, there is no way one can neglect any team in this premier league,” he added.