Dilshan in B’desh to play Dhaka Premier League

Friday, 13 September 2013 02:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan arrived in the country yesterday afternoon to play for Mohammedan Sporting Club in this year’s Dhaka Premier League (DPL). Dilshan is expected to feature in Mohammedan’s first game against Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club in Bogra. Speaking to reporters at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dilshan said that the DPL experience will help him prepare for Sri Lanka’s upcoming matches in the country.

“We have a full series here against Bangladesh before the (T20) world cup and then we also have the Asia Cup. So, I expect that playing here will help me gain more experience,” said Dilshan. “I played under Mashrafe [Bin Mortaza] in the last edition of the BPL this year. And I will be happy to join him and play with him in this tournament as well. It will be a good experience for me,” he added. The player, who holds the unique record of being the only captain to have scored centuries in all three formats of the game, said that he expects the conditions in Bangladesh not to bother him. “It’s a bit similar to the Sri Lankan wickets — slow and good for batting and the weather is similar to Sri Lanka as well. I have played on and off over here, so I can use my experience,” he said. With the Pakistan Cricket Board not providing No Objection Certificates to its players to play in the league this year, a majority of the clubs have been filling up their foreign quotas with Sri Lankan players. Prime Bank’s Sri Lankan recruit Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored a century in the first game of the tournament.