|| BSS ||

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is all set to launch NCL T20 with new enthusiasm in a bid to pave a platform for the local players to hone their skill for the shortest format of the cricket.

The demand for organizing a T20 tournament sans Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has been long cherished.

Finally, the BCB responded to it by vowing that the tournament will be held every year ahead of the BPL. The NCL T20 will be modeled after the National Cricket League (NCL), which is a first class tournament. The tournament will start on December 11 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Like the NCL, the remaining seven divisions, except Mymensingh, will participate, in the T20 version along with Dhaka Metro. Each team will face each other in the league phase. All matches in this phase will be held in Sylhet.

Thereafter the playoffs and final will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

The logo unveiling and sponsor announcement ceremony of the NCL T20 was held at a local hotel in the capital today. Al-Arafah Islami Bank was named as the platinum sponsor of the tournament while Lily Moisturizing Lotion was as silver sponsor. Gold partner is Walton and the tournament will be named as Al-Arafah Bank NCL T20 powered by Walton.

To make the tournament glamorous, film stars Siam Ahmed and Amin Khan were present along with the officials of BCB and sponsor companies.

All matches of the NCL T20 will be shown on the country's only sports channel T-Sports. Viewers will be able to watch from all over the world, the organizers said.

BCB President Faruque Ahmed has vowed to organize this T20 tournament regularly, being participated by local cricketers only from now on.

"After taking charge, we have decided to organize at least one T20 format tournament apart the BPL. From now on, the tournament will be ahead of the BPL every year where only local cricketers will participate," Faruque said.

"We always say that if local and foreign players play together, they will share the dressing room and learn something. But the preparation before playing with those foreign players will be taken very well through this tournament."

Managing Director and CEO of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Farman R Chowhdury also spoke on the occasion, saying: "We have sponsored in other federations after perceiving the importance of sports. In line with that we have involved with cricket. There is no hesitation to say that cricket is the most popular game in this region so we are happy to be associated with the BCB."