CCDM plans T20 boost for lower tiers

The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) is planning to expand the Dhaka League with four new tournaments from the 2026-27 season, adding more T20 opportunities for players outside the Premier League.

Currently, the CCDM organises five competitions – the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, First Division, Second Division, Third Division and Third Division Qualifying League. While it has occasionally organised a T20 version of the Premier League in the past, the CCDM plans to introduce three separate T20 tournaments from next season, featuring teams from the First, Second and Third Divisions.

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According to the tentative calendar, eight Super League teams from the First Division, 12 Super League teams from the Second Division and eight Super League teams from the Third Division will participate in the respective T20 tournaments.

“Teams in the Super League will play the T20 tournaments. If they want the best players, they can also pick up to two players from the remaining teams,” CCDM chairman Moyeen Uddin Chowdhury told The Daily Star on Thursday.

“The Premier League won't have a separate T20 segment because those top players already play T20s in other domestic tournaments.”

Apart from the three T20 tournaments, the CCDM is also planning to introduce the CCDM Cup, a one-day tournament involving four teams.

“We kept this as an option. I want to organise a tournament featuring some of the best players from the First Division, Second Division and Third Division. We will arrange a tournament that could be described as an ‘All-Performers’ tournament based on performance,” Moyeen said.

The 2026-27 season is scheduled to begin with the Dhaka First Division Cricket League on November 15 and conclude with the Third Division Qualifying League, which is slated to run from June 1 to July 15, making it an eight-month marathon calendar for the CCDM.

Before the new season gets underway, however, the CCDM will organise the 2025-26 Third Division Qualifying League later this month, with 70 Dhaka clubs set to take part.