Sylhet:The 28th edition of the National Cricket League (NCL) commenced today at various venues across the country, marking the beginning of the tournament with several new professional enhancements.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) implemented changes to shed the event's long-standing 'picnic league' reputation. These changes include captains wearing special caps and suits reminiscent of Test matches.
The tournament was formally inaugurated by BCB Director and Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The opening ceremony was presided over by Sylhet Divisional Commissioner Md. Mashiur Rahman.
During the ceremony, Chowdhury highlighted the significance of the Sylhet venue, calling it one of the nation's premier cricket grounds. He noted Sylhet's past success in winning the NCL title and expressed optimism about the team's prospects in the current competition.
The event was attended by BCB Director Redwan Ahmed, BCB Councilor Ashraf Arman, other officials, and representatives and captains from the Sylhet and Mymensingh teams.
This year's NCL features eight divisional teams competing in 28 matches over seven rounds. Each team will participate in seven matches, with the top team in the points table being declared the champion. Rangpur Division enters the tournament as the defending champions.