National Cricket League

National Cricket League
Tournament logo
CountriesBangladesh
AdministratorBangladesh Cricket Board
FormatFirst-class
First edition1999–2000
Latest edition2025–26
Next edition2026–27
Number of teams8
Current championRangpur Division (3rd title)
Most successfulKhulna Division (7 titles) and Dhaka Division (7 titles)
Most runsTushar Imran (6086)
Most wicketsAbdur Razzak (306)
Website27th National Cricket League 2025–26
2025–26

The National Cricket League (Bengali: জাতীয় ক্রিকেট লিগ) is the oldest domestic first-class cricket competition in Bangladesh. It is contested by teams representing the eight regional divisions of Bangladesh.

History and format

The National Cricket League was inaugurated in the 1999–2000 season but did not then have first-class status. Bangladesh became the tenth Full Member of the International Cricket Council in 2000 and consequently the league became first-class in the 2000–01 season. Limited-overs and Twenty20 tournaments with the same name have also been played in the past.

Since 2011–12 there have been eight teams in the league, which usually runs from October to December. From 2011–12 to 2014–15 each team played every other team once over the course of the season. From 2015–16 to 2023–24 there was a two-tier league: Rangpur, Khulna, Dhaka Division and Dhaka Metropolis were in the first tier in 2015–16, and Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal and Chittagong in the second.[1] After each season the bottom team of tier 1 and the top team of tier 2 swapped places for the next season's competition.[2] For the 2024–25 season the league reverted to an eight-team round-robin. For the 2025–26 season, a new team representing Mymensingh Division replaced the Dhaka Metropolis team.[3]

The league is also sometimes known under its main sponsor's name. In 2015–16 it was officially the "Walton LED TV 17th National Cricket League". In October 2019 the Walton Group became the title sponsor of NCL for the next three years, and the league would be known officially as the "Walton NCL".[4][5] In 2024–25 it was the "Modhumoti Bank 26th National Cricket League".[6]

Teams

Logo Team Captain Home Ground Participation Titles
Barishal Division Tanvir Islam Barisal Divisional Stadium since 1999–2000 0
Chittagong Division Shahadat Hossain Dipu Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium since 1999–2000 1
Dhaka Division Mahidul Islam Ankon Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium since 1999–2000 7
Mymensingh Division Shuvagata Hom TBD 2025–26 0
Khulna Division Mohammad Mithun Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium since 1999–2000 7
Rajshahi Division Sabbir Hossain Rajshahi Divisional Stadium since 1999–2000 6
Rangpur Division Akbar Ali Rangpur Cricket Garden since 2011–12 3
Sylhet Division Zakir Hasan Sylhet International Cricket Stadium since 1999–2000 1

Defunct teams

Team Home ground Debut Dissolved
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan No 1 Ground 2000–01 2000–01
Dhaka Metropolis Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium 2000–01 2025–26

Winners

Winners of the National Cricket League in each season are:[7]

Season Winner
1999–2000 Chittagong Division (NB: 1999–2000 was not a first-class competition)
2000–01 Biman Bangladesh Airlines
2001–02 Dhaka Division
2002–03 Khulna Division
2003–04 Dhaka Division
2004–05 Dhaka Division
2005–06 Rajshahi Division
2006–07 Dhaka Division
2007–08 Khulna Division
2008–09 Rajshahi Division
2009–10 Rajshahi Division
2010–11 Rajshahi Division
2011–12 Rajshahi Division
2012–13 Khulna Division
2013–14 Dhaka Division
2014–15 Rangpur Division
2015–16 Khulna Division
2016–17 Khulna Division
2017–18 Khulna Division
2018–19 Rajshahi Division
2019–20 Khulna Division
2020–21 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 Dhaka Division
2022–23 Rangpur Division
2023–24 Dhaka Division
2024–25 Sylhet Division
2025–26 Rangpur Division

Records

Highest team scores

Total[8] For and against Venue Season
756/5d Dhaka Division v. Rajshahi Division BKSP 2013–14
675/9d Rajshahi Division v. Chittagong Division Chittagong 2013–14
668 Rajshahi Division v. Dhaka Metropolis BKSP 2017–18
668 Barisal Division v. Rangpur Division BKSP 2014–15

Lowest team scores

Total[9] For and against Venue Season
46 Barisal Division v. Khulna Division Khulna 2023–24
48 Dhaka Metro v. Rangpur Division Bogra 2013–14
54 Barisal Division v. Chittagong Division Sylhet 2023–24

Most runs in an innings

Total[10] Batsman For and against Venue Season
295 Nasir Hossain Rangpur Division v. Barisal Division Rajshahi 2017–18
282 Mosaddek Hossain Barisal Division v. Chittagong Division BKSP 2014–15
259 Farhad Reza Rajshahi Division v. Chittagong Division BKSP 2013–14

Best bowling in an innings

Total[11] Bowler For and against Venue Season
9/84 Abdur Razzak Khulna Division v. Chittagong Division Bogra 2012–13
9/91 Abdur Razzak Khulna Division v. Dhaka Metropolis Cox's Bazar 2013–14
8/10 Mahedi Hasan Khulna Division v. Barisal Division Khulna 2023–24

National Cricket League One-Day winners

  • 2000–01 – Biman Bangladeshi Airlines (1/1)
  • 2001–02 – Sylhet Division (1/1)
  • 2002–03 – Khulna Division (1/1)
  • 2003–04 – Chittagong Division (1/1)
  • 2004–05 – Rajshahi Division (1/3)
  • 2005–06 – Rajshahi Division (2/2)
  • 2006–07 – Dhaka Division (1/2)
  • 2007–08 – Rajshahi Division (3/3)
  • 2008–09 – Barisal Division (1/1)
  • 2010–11 – Dhaka Division (2/2)

The National Cricket League one-day competition is no longer held. It has been superseded by the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League as Bangladesh's List A competition.

National Cricket League Twenty20 winners

  • 2010 – Rajshahi Division
  • 2024 – Rangpur Division
  • 2025 – Rangpur Division

See also

References

  1. ^ "Last-gasp win gives Rangpur maiden title". Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  2. ^ "All eyes on Liton as Rangpur eye return to tier one". Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  3. ^ Isam, Mohammad (13 August 2025). "What it means for Mymensingh to have its own first-class team". Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  4. ^ "Walton Group becomes the title sponsor of NCL". bplscorelive.com. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Bangladesh Cricket Board". BCB. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  6. ^ "Modhumoti Bank 26th National Cricket League (NCL) 2024-25". BCB. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  7. ^ "A brief history of Bangladesh domestic cricket". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  8. ^ "ESPN Cricinfo : Highest totals For National Cricket League".
  9. ^ "Cricinfo : Lowest totals For National Cricket League".
  10. ^ "High scores for National Cricket League". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Best bowling figures in an innings for National Cricket League". Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
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