The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have announced the schedule for the first six rounds of the 20th National Cricket League, a first class competition comprised of eight teams, which is set to being on October 1 at four venues across the country. In Tier-1, defending champions Khulna division will take on Rajshahi at the Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi while Rangpur will face the newly promoted Barishal at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogura.

Dhaka division will play against Chattogram at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah as Sylhet lock horns with Dhaka Metro at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

The national team players, who were expected to return to Bangladesh yesterday after completing their Asia Cup assignment, are also expected to participate in the league from the first round.

"The national players have been instructed to play the first two rounds of the National league," Habibul Bashar, a member of the national selection panel, told The Daily Star yesterday.

"However, if the team management and physio instructed some of the players to take rest then they may miss out but apart from that, the entire national team are expected to take the field for the league," he added.