National Cricket League

The National Cricket League (Bengali: জাতীয় ক্রিকেট লিগ) is the oldest domestic first-class cricket competition in Bangladesh. It is contested by teams representing seven of the eight regional divisions of Bangladesh (there is no team from Mymensingh Division) as well as a team from the Dhaka metropolitan area.

National Cricket League

Countries	Bangladesh
Administrator	Bangladesh Cricket Board
Format	First-class
First edition	1999–2000
Latest edition	2024–25
Next edition	2025–26
Number of teams	8
Current champion	Sylhet Division (1st title)
Most successful	Khulna Division (7 titles) and Dhaka Division (7 titles)
Most runs	Tushar Imran (6086)
Most wickets	Abdur Razzak (306)
Website	26th National Cricket League 2024–25
2024–25

History and format

The National Cricket League was inaugurated in the 1999–2000 season but was not then first-class. Bangladesh became the tenth Full Member of the International Cricket Council in 2000 and 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 each 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.

The league is also 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".^[3][4] In 2024–25 it was the "Modhumoti Bank 26th National Cricket League".^[5]

Teams

Logo	Team	Captain	Home Ground	Participation	Titles
	Barishal Division	Fazle Mahmud	Barisal Divisional Stadium	since 1999–2000	0
	Chittagong Division	Shamim Hossain	Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium	since 1999–2000	1
	Dhaka Division	Saif Hassan	Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium	since 1999–2000	7
	Dhaka Metropolis	Mohammad Naim	Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium	2000–01 and since 2011–12	0
	Khulna Division	Nurul Hasan	Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium	since 1999–2000	7
	Rajshahi Division	Taijul Islam	Rajshahi Divisional Stadium	since 1999–2000	6
	Rangpur Division	Akbar Ali	Rangpur Cricket Garden	since 2011–12	2
	Sylhet Division	Amite 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

Winners

Winners of the National Cricket League in each season are:^[6]

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

Records

Highest team scores

Total[7]	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[8]	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[9]	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[10]	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.^{[citation needed]}

National Cricket League Twenty20 Winners

• 2010 – Rajshahi Division
• 2024 – Rangpur Division

See also

• Cricket in Bangladesh
• Bangladesh Cricket League