National stalwarts to star for respective division<\/strong>
\nThe 17th edition of country\u2019s premium first-class competition, National Cricket League,\u00a0will start today in four venues under a new format, with eight participating teams splitting in two tiers.
\nDefending champions Rangpur will take on Dhaka Metropolis at Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra while Khulna will host Dhaka at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in the two first round matches of the top-tier.
\nIn the lower echelon, Rajshahi will host Barisal at Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium while Chittagong and Sylhet will face off at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium at Fatullah in the opening round.
\nSome senior national cricketers are expected to steal the show in opening round, playing their
\nfirst NCL match in many days.
\nSakib al Hasan will play his first NCL match in three years when he will take the field for Khulna against Dhaka Metropolis.
\nSakib, currently the top all-rounder in the world in all three formats, last played an NCL match in 2012, also at the same ground against Rangpur. That was his only match of that season and first in four years.
\nIt means today\u2019s match will be Sakib\u2019s only second one in NCL in seven years. He will be joined by two other national team colleagues Imrul Kayes and Mustafizur Rahman in the Khulna team, the faviourtes for the upcoming editions.
\nSakib will find fellow national cricketer Mahmudullah in the opposition tent as the right-hander will lead Dhaka Metropolitan side.
\nAmong other national cricketers, Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim will play for Rajshahi side in second tier while his deputy Tamim Iqbal will lead Chittagong against Sylhet at Fatullah.
\nBoth Mushfiq and Tamim missed the previous edition of NCL.
\nThe national cricketers are expected to play only in the opening round before they resume their preparation for the home series against Australia.<\/p>\n

-With New Age<\/strong> input<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

National stalwarts to star for respective division The 17th edition of country\u2019s premium first-class competition, National Cricket League,\u00a0will start today in four venues under a new format, with eight participating teams splitting in two tiers. Defending champions Rangpur will take on Dhaka Metropolis at Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra while Khulna will host Dhaka at … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[1105,2681,3653],"yoast_head":"\n