Jammu and Kashmir’s spin-bowling all-rounder Parvez Rasool has sparked a huge debate by claiming that Bangladesh’s Dhaka Premier League (DPL) is tougher than the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is widely regarded as the world’s biggest franchise T20 league.
Having played in both the Dhaka Premier League and the Indian Premier League, Parvez Rasool explained that IPL players receive contracts for the full season regardless of their performance, but the DPL players face intense pressure with short-term contracts.
Parvez Rasool claims Dhaka Premier League is tougher than the Indian Premier League
Rasool played for top teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pune Warriors, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League, but it was his stint in the Dhaka Premier League that caught his attention. After going unsold in the IPL auctions, Rasool opted for the DPL, where players are under immense pressure to perform in the tournament.
According to Parvez Rasool, the DPL is more challenging due to its short-term contracts, where players only get a two-match contract. The Jammu and Kashmir cricketer said that if the players fail to impress in those two matches, they are sent home after the third match.
In IPL, you get dropped and stay with the team: Parvez Rasool
The spinner noted that the players’ futures are determined by just a couple of performances in the Dhaka Premier League, which adds an intense level of pressure on the players compared to the IPL, where players are often secure in their positions after just signing contracts at the auctions.
Parvez Rasool said on Off Script: “I played five years in Bangladesh, Dhaka League. I rate the Dhaka league as tougher than the IPL. I played IPL also. I played in the Dhaka League also. Tougher, why I told you, because in IPL you get a contract, right? You get selected, and then whether you play or not, you get a contract. So, it depends on the team. If you are doing well, if you are not doing well in 1 or 2 matches, then you get dropped and stay with the team.”
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Big players were sent back after 2-3 matches in DPL: Parvez Rasool
Rasool revealed that even big names have been sent back early after just a few matches in the DPL, with no guarantee of staying longer in the competition without impressive performances, highlighting the high-stakes nature of Bangladesh’s franchise league.
He signed off by saying, “But when you play in the Dhaka League, altogether, there is a lot of pressure. Why? Because they are giving you a two-match contract only. If you do well in two matches, then you go on. If you fail, you get your return ticket after the third match. I won’t take any names, but there have been some big players who played and were sent back after 2-3 matches.”
Notably, Parvez Rasool has represented India in just one ODI and one T20I. He made his ODI debut on June 15, 2014, against Bangladesh, taking two wickets, and three years later, he made his T20I debut against England in 2017 and claimed one wicket. Despite his promising starts, Rasool never got another opportunity in either format.
His last appearance in professional cricket was in December 2023, playing for Badureliya Sports Club in Sri Lanka.