National Cricket League

National Cricket League
Countries	Bangladesh
Administrator	Bangladesh Cricket Board
Format	First-class
First edition	1999–2000
Latest edition	2022–23
Next edition	2023
Number of teams	8
Current champion	Rangpur Division (2nd title)
Most successful	Khulna Division; (7 titles)

The National Cricket League 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.

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 ICC 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. Beginning in 2015–16 there has been 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] for the 2016–17 season Barisal were promoted to tier 1 and Rangpur demoted to tier 2;[2] for the 2017–18 season Rangpur returned to tier 1 and Dhaka Metropolis were demoted to tier 2; for the 2018–19 season Rajshahi were promoted to tier 1 for the first time, and Dhaka Division were demoted to tier 2 for the first time.

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]

Teams

Team	Home Ground	Participation	Titles
Barisal Division	Barisal Divisional Stadium	since 1999–2000	0
Biman Bangladesh Airlines	Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan No 1 Ground	2000–01 only	1
Chittagong Division	Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium	since 1999–2000	1
Dhaka Division	Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium	since 1999–2000	6
Dhaka Metropolis	Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium	2000–01 and since 2011–12	0
Khulna Division	Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium	since 1999–2000	7
Rajshahi Division	Rajshahi Divisional Stadium	since 1999–2000	6
Rangpur Division	Rangpur Cricket Garden	since 2011–12	2
Sylhet Division	Sylhet International Cricket Stadium	since 1999–2000	0

Winners

Winners of the National Cricket League in each season are:[5]

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