Shakib Al Hasan to skip PSL to feature in the Dhaka Premier League
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will miss the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2021) as he is set to take part in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL).
The southpaw was earlier picked in the replacement draft by the Lahore Qalandars for the remaining part of PSL-6, which was earlier suspended due to multiple bubble breaches.
Two other Bangladesh players, Liton Das and Mahmudullah, were also signed by the Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans, respectively.
Officials from the Mohammedan Sporting Club, a traditional outfit in the DPL, submitted a letter signed by Shakib Al Hasan in which the all-rounder expressed his interest in taking part in the domestic tournament.
"We have submitted a letter signed by Shakib to CCDM (Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis) that says he is keen to take part in the competition for us," Tarikul Islam Tito, a top official of MSC, told Cricbuzz.
BCB yet to grant permission to Mohammedan Sporting Club to acquire Shakib Al Hasan
Since Shakib Al Hasan did not feature in the last edition of the Dhaka Premier League due to a ban, he is free to represent any team in the upcoming edition of the tournament.
Mohammedan Sporting Club is trying to do everything it can to acquire his services, subject to clearance from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
"He (Shakib Al Hasan) will not play in the PSL and instead opted to be part of our team in DPL. He is a free player because he was not part of the 2019-20 DPL due to his ban and now as he is eligible to take part and we have shown our keenness to take him in our side. BCB is yet to grant him for us but we hope to get the permission soon," he said.
The Dhaka Premier League is scheduled to start on May 31 and will be played in the T20 format instead of the usual 50-over format. The last edition of the league was suspended after just one round of matches due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Officials are keen to learn from their mistakes and shortcomings from the past and are putting in their best efforts for the smooth conduct of the tournament this year.