DPL or BCL: What’s next for Bangladesh’s cricketers?

“White ball or red ball… what should I be preparing for?”

That was the question a national-level cricketer put to this reporter a few days ago at the academy ground of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. It wasn’t rhetorical — he genuinely had no idea which format lay ahead.

And he’s not alone.

A significant number of players across Bangladesh’s domestic circuit — from established internationals to fringe professionals — are in limbo amid ongoing uncertainty over the cricket calendar. Traditionally, March and April are reserved for the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL), the country’s only List A competition and a crucial platform for players to stay match-ready.

But the tournament has been stalled due to a continuing standoff between the current Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) administration and Dhaka’s club organisers — a dispute that has dragged on since the board election last October. The fallout has been substantial, leaving hundreds — perhaps close to a thousand — cricketers without competitive matches or a reliable source of income during what is usually a peak period of the domestic season.

With the DPL in doubt, the BCB appears to be turning to what it can directly control.

The board is planning to stage the four-team Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), a first-class competition, as part of preparations for the upcoming two-Test series against Pakistan in May. It sees the tournament as a way to provide vital red-ball match practice for national players and those in contention.

“We have already decided to start the BCL from 21 April,” BCB tournament committee chairman Ahsan Iqbal Chowdhury told Daily Sun. “We are thinking about national interest. Like the BCL One Day competition earlier, we hope the four-day version will offer good preparation for the national side,” he said.

Earlier this year, the BCL One Day tournament acted as a buildup to Bangladesh’s ODI series against Pakistan, featuring most of the country’s leading cricketers.

Iqbal also voiced optimism about salvaging the disrupted domestic season.

“I want to complete this season since there is still time. I hope we can finish it properly, with the BCL four-day being a success. The rest depends on the cricket board,” he added.

At the same time, speculation is growing over a possible change in the BCB leadership — a development that could reshape current plans. Sources suggest that a shift at the top might see the DPL prioritised ahead of the BCL.

“It could happen,” said a member of the national selection panel. “If there is a change in the board, the DPL might be held before the BCL. Otherwise, it will likely take place after,” he noted.

Time constraints may force further compromises. According to a BCB official, the DPL — if it goes ahead — could be shortened to a single-league format instead of its usual structure.

“If everything falls into place, the DPL could be held in May,” the official said.

For now, uncertainty continues to cloud the domestic scene, leaving players training without clarity — unsure whether to gear up for the endurance of red-ball cricket or the high intensity of the white-ball game.