The Bangladesh Cricket Board has attempted to restructure its domestic league to make it more competitive. Each of the six participating divisional teams will now have its own selection panel and coach.
When the Seventh National Cricket League kicks off on November 19 across the country, Rajshahi Division, one-day victors, are expected to play five home matches in a row. While Rajshahi enjoy the benefit of being based at home for the first half of the tournament, defending first-class champions Dhaka Division too start off their first four games at home, hosting Sylhet to begin with.
Shahriar Nafees, the Bangladesh opener, will make his National League debut as captain of a young Barisal side. Barisal, seen by many as the weakest side in the competition, will be hoping to rebuild after losing bowlers Mohammed Sharif and Mosharraf Hossain to Dhaka. Shahriar Hossain, the former national cricketer, will return to the southern division after the gap of a year.
Like Barisal, Dhaka will also have a new captain in Mohammad Ashraful, Bangladesh's talented middle order batsman who struck a fantastic hundred to defeat Australia in this summer's Natwest Series in England. Ashraful was chosen by Khaled Mahmud, the former allrounder and current selector, as Dkaha opted for a change in leadership. For Sylhet, Alok Kapali will become vice-captain under Rajin Saleh, the newly appointed captain.
Teams
Dhaka Division: Mohammad Ashraful (capt), Javed Omar (vice-capt), Al Shahriar, Sanwar Hossain, Mohammed Rafique, Khaled Mahmud, Mehrab Hossain Opee, Talha Jubair, Shahadat Hossain, Anwar Monir, Rashedul Haque, Mohammed Riyad, Arafat Sunny, Mosharraf Hossain, Mohammed Sharif, Sajjad Kadir, Anwar Hossain, Mahbubul Alam, Kamrul Islam and Ashraful Khan.
Sylhet Division: Rajin Saleh (capt), Alok Kapali (vice-capt), Golam Rahman, Golam Mabud, Moniruzzaman, Enamul Haque Jr, Nazmul Hossain, Hasibul Hossain, Golam Mawla, Ejaj Ahmed, Rezaul Haque Nayeem, Siddiqur Rahman, Zakwan Ahmed, Rana Mia, Imtiaz Hossain, Ashiqur Rahman, Junaid Siddiqui, Saif Mahmud, Golam Mortuza and Tapash Baisya.
Rajshahi Division: Khaled Mashud (capt), Hasanuzzaman Rosel (vice-capt), Naeem Islam, Jahurul Islam, Farhad Reza, Anisur Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahman, Shamimul Haque, Kamrul Islam, Saifullah Khan, Rezwanul Islam, Jubair Ahmed, Moniruzzaman, Nuruzzaman, Shafaq Al Jabir, Mohammed Shahjada, Sumon Saha, Alamgir Kabir, Farhad Hossain and Rafiqul Islam.
Khulna Division: Habibul Bashar (capt), Manzarul Islam (vice-capt), Tushar Imran, Sajjadul Hasan, Hasanuzzaman, Monirul Islam, Salahuddin Ujjal, Shafiul Alam, Jamauddin Babu, Abdur Razzak, Mashrafee Bin Mortuza, Syed Rasel, Ziaur Rahman, Manjurul Islam, Mohammad Salim, Sahagir Hossain, Al Amin, Debabrata Pal, Rezaul Islam and Shamsur Rahman.
Chittagong Division: Akram Khan (capt), Nafees Iqbal (vice-capt), Aftab Ahmed, Nazim-uddin, Faisal Hossain, Gazi Salahuddin, Masumuddowlah, Dhiman Ghosh, Tarek Aziz, Gazi Alamgir, Waiskarani Palash, Waseluddin Ahmed, Shabbir Khan, Yasin Arafat, Saju Datta, Moha-mmed Rabbi, Habib Moballik, Niaz Morshed and Ilias Sunny.
Barisal Division: Shahriar Nafees (capt), Hannan Sarkar (vice-capt), Shahriar Hossain, Nasiruddin Faruque, Imran Ahmed, Raqibul Hasan, Humayun Kabir, Prasenjit Bose, Nadif Chowdhury, Ali Arman, Tariqul Islam, Arif Hossain, Mohammed Shahin, Ashikul Islam, Golam Rabbani, Anisur Rahman, Ishraq Sonnet, Sajid Islam, Arafat Salahuddin, Towhidul Islam.