Dhaka, Sept 16 (V7N) – The 28th edition of the National Cricket League (NCL) will kick off on October 3, according to the full schedule released by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today.
The four-day first-class tournament for the domestic season of 2026-2027 will feature eight divisional teams, with each round producing four matches at various venues across the country.
Defending champions Rangpur will begin their title defence against Dhaka at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, while Sylhet will face Mymensingh at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
In the other opening-round fixtures, Khulna will take on Barisal at the Khulna Divisional Stadium, and Chattogram will meet Rajshahi at the Bir Shrestha Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram.
The NCL will run for nearly two months, with the final round scheduled to begin on November 17. Each team will play seven matches, facing every other team once. The team finishing at the top of the points table will be crowned champions.
Besides the four opening venues, matches during the season will also be staged at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium, the Academy Ground of the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra and the Cox's Bazar Academy Ground.
The National Cricket League is Bangladesh's premier first-class domestic competition and serves as a key platform for players to stake their claim for national selection. The tournament has been a launchpad for many Bangladeshi cricketers who have gone on to represent the national team in Test cricket. The BCB has been working to strengthen the domestic structure to ensure a steady supply of quality players for the national team. The NCL is expected to provide valuable match practice for players ahead of Bangladesh's international commitments, including the upcoming home Test series against West Indies in October-November.
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