Tamim Explains Why National Captains Missed Out on Icon Status
BCB President Tamim Iqbal has explained why national team captains Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das, alongside several star players, were left off the icon list for the Domestic-3 tournament.
Franchises selected six icon cricketers for the upcoming Domestic-3 tournament, omitting national team captains Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das. Several other prominent stars, including Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shariful Islam, and Tanzid Hasan Tamim, also missed out on the icon list.
Bangladesh Cricket Board President Tamim Iqbal addressed the omissions, explaining that player availability throughout the entire season was the primary factor for the franchises. Teams prioritized cricketers who would be available for the entirety of the campaign.
Tamim pointed out that since it is a domestic competition, availability carries immense significance. Citing Mohammad Naim Sheikh as an example, the BCB chief noted that franchises might have targeted players not currently engaged with the national team to secure their full-season services.
The six icon cricketers chosen via lottery for the tournament's franchises are Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Towhid Hridoy, Mohammad Naim Sheikh, and Mosaddek Hossain Saikat. These players are mapped to respective franchises including Walton, Fortune, Acme, Seven Rings Siments, ACE Bluestars, and Citizen Bank.
Despite missing out on the icon category, the remaining national team stars still have opportunities to secure spots. An upcoming player selection via auction or draft is scheduled for October 26, where franchises can pick up Shanto, Litton, Mustafizur, Taskin, Shariful, and Tanzid.
Tamim clarified that an auction format allows teams to specifically target their preferred choices, unlike a draft system. The Domestic-3 competition marks a major restructuring of domestic cricket by combining the NCL T20, four-day BCL, and BCL one-day competitions into a unified franchise model.
The identical six franchises will compete across T20, 50-over, and four-day formats, featuring 19 T20 matches, 16 fifty-over matches, and 7 four-day matches. The T20 leg begins in December across the Barishal Divisional Stadium and the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, followed by four-day matches in January and the 50-over games in May.
The franchises have inked three-year agreements with the board to form 23-member squads covering all three formats. With spending limits established by the BCB for player and coaching staff salaries, the initiative aims to boost financial opportunities, continuity, and commercial appeal in domestic cricket.