Jammu and Kashmir spin bowler 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 biggest franchise T20 league in the world.
Having played in both the Dhaka Premier League and the Indian Premier League, Parvez Rasool explained that IPL players are given full-season contracts regardless of performance, but DPL players face intense pressure with short-term contracts .
Parvez Rasool claims Dhaka Premier League is tougher than 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 the eye. 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 difficult because of 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 these 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 players' futures are determined by just a handful of performances in the Dhaka Premier League, which adds an intense level of pressure on players compared to the IPL, where players are often secure in their positions after only signing contracts at the auctions.
Parvez Rasool told Off Script, “I played five years in Bangladesh, Dhaka League. I rate Dhaka league as tougher than IPL. I also played IPL. I also played in the Dhaka League. Tougher, why did I tell you, because in the IPL you get a contract, right? You are selected and then, whether you play or not, you get a contract. So it depends on the team. If you do well, if you don't do well in 1 or 2 games, then you're dropped and you stay with the team.”
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Big players sent back after 2-3 games 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, overall, there is a lot of pressure. Why? Because they only give you a two-game contract. If you do well in two matches, move on. If you fail, you get the return ticket after the third match. I won't take any names but there were some big players who played and were sent back after 2-3 games.”
Notably, Parvez Rasool has represented India in just one ODI and one T20I. He made his ODI debut on 15 June 2014 against Bangladesh, taking two wickets, and three years later, he made his T20I debut against England in 2017 and claimed a wicket. Despite his promising starts, Rasool failed to get an opportunity in either format.
His last appearance in professional cricket was in December 2023, playing for Badureliya Sports Club in Sri Lanka.