Four-day BCL returns after two-and-a-half-year gap

The Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) four-day competition is set to return to the domestic calendar after a gap of nearly two and a half years, with the 12th edition beginning on Tuesday in Sylhet.

Two matches will be played simultaneously across venues. Akbar Ali’s North Zone will face Mohammad Mithun’s South Zone at the Sylhet Outer Stadium, while Mominul Haque’s East Zone take on Marshall Ayub’s Central Zone at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

The tournament’s return marks a significant boost to Bangladesh’s red-ball structure, which has remained inactive since the last edition in December 2023. Although the one-day version of the BCL was held earlier this year, the absence of the four-day competition had left a clear gap in longer-format preparation for domestic players.

The schedule for the remaining rounds, however, is yet to be finalised. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not announced dates for the second and third rounds, which are expected to take place after the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL), set to begin in early May.

Following the opening round, players will turn their focus to the DPL, representing their respective clubs in the country’s premier List A competition. National Test players are also expected to join the Bangladesh squad ahead of their next international assignment.

Bangladesh are set to host Pakistan in a two-match Test series, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle. Pakistan are scheduled to arrive on May 3, with the first Test beginning on May 8 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The second Test will be played in Sylhet from May 16.