BCB launches franchise-based all-format competition in domestic cricket

The BCB has launched a franchise-based competition called Domestic 3 (D3) for Bangladesh's 2026-27 domestic season.

Six companies have bought franchises that will be participating in D3. The teams will play three tournaments - in first-class, List A and T20 formats - each season, with the BCB signing a three-year deal with each franchise. D3 will start with the T20 competition, likely to begin on December 15. It will be followed by the first-class and one-day tournaments, scheduled in January and May next year, respectively.

BCB president Tamim Iqbalsaid the tournament has been launched in a bid to bring "the colour back into the country's domestic cricket".

Long-time BCB sponsor Walton bought one of the franchises, while Acme Laboratories, ACE Blue Star, Citizens Bank, Seven Rings Cement and Fortune Group are the other franchise owners. The owners will reportedly pay BDT 2.5 crore (approx. US $203,283) per season, which will include match fees, to the BCB.

The BCB will hold a draft to pick the team management later this week, where the franchises can bid for their choice of coaches for the competition. Next month, they will be participating in a players' draft, in which each team will have to choose 23 cricketers for the three formats.

The BCB also announced that Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Walton), Towhid Hridoy (Fortune Group), Mosaddek Hossain (Acme Laboratories), Mushfiqur Rahim (Seven Rings Cement), Nurul Hasan (ACE Blue Star) and Mohammad Naim (Citizens Bank) will be the icon players for the six franchises.

The D3 competition will club together the Bangladesh Cricket League's first-class and List-A tournaments, as well as the NCL T20s.

Bangladesh's domestic season begins on October 3 with the NCL first-class tournament, which is region-based and involves the eight divisions of the country.