Chennai: Bangladesh’s Dhaka Premier Division League (DPDL) has been the biggest beneficiary ever since the BCCI relaxed its stance on allowing its cricketers to feature in List A (50-over) tournaments abroad. More than a dozen Indian first-class cricketers have already plied their trade in DPDL this season and the latest to jump on the bandwagon is Tamil Nadu’s wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik.
The Dhaka tournament has been attracting Indians who are either not part of the BCCI central contract or snubbed by IPL teams. Karthik will represent DPDL’s marquee team Abahani Limited that boasts of locals stars such as Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed and Tamim Iqbal.
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The 31-year-old is set to make his DPDL debut on June 15 against Abahani’s rivals Mohammedan Sporting. The tournament, which has been the backbone of Bangladesh’s domestic cricket since 1974, features 12 private clubs owned by industrialists.
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DPDL allows any number of foreign signings for a team, but only one can feature in the playing XI. The current Abahani squad already has Yusuf Pathan, Manoj Tiwary, Manvinder Bisla and Uday Kaul. It’s learned that Karthik has been invited for the Super League stage as Yusuf and Tiwary have decided to return home after ensuring the team’s qualification.
