The National Cricket League () 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. After each season the bottom team of tier 1 and the top team of tier 2 swapped places for the next season's competition. 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.
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". In 2024–25 it was the "Modhumoti Bank 26th National Cricket League".
Teams
Logo Team Captain Participation Titles Barishal Division Tanvir Islam Kobi Jibanananda Das Stadium since 1999–2000 0 Chittagong Division Shahadat Hossain Dipu Bir Shrestho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Cricket 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 Khulna Divisional 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 TeamDebutDissolvedBiman Bangladesh AirlinesBangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan No 1 GroundDhaka MetropolisSher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium
Winners Winners of the National Cricket League in each season are:
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 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 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 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 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 Cricket in Bangladesh Bangladesh Cricket League
References
External links CricInfo Bangladesh domestic cricket National Cricket League at Bangladesh Cricket Board