Nurul Hasan Sohan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz have backed the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s new Domestic Three (D3) Trophy, saying its longer and more structured format can give domestic cricketers greater continuity and help them plan their careers across different formats.
The two icon players, representing ACE Bluestar and Walton respectively, shared their views after the first team management draft for the D3 Trophy at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday.
The D3 Trophy brings T20, one-day and first-class cricket under a single franchise-based competition, replacing the separate NCL T20, BCL four-day and BCL one-day tournaments.
The six franchises are scheduled to play 42 matches over a seven-to-eight-month period. The T20 competition will start in December, with the first-class phase planned for January and the one-day competition in May next year.
For Sohan, the biggest change is not simply the three-format structure but the certainty of having a domestic season mapped out in advance.
“Earlier, our domestic cricket depended a lot on the national team players, and there was also uncertainty over when the tournaments would be played. Now, with a fixed structure and schedule, players can plan better,” Sohan said.
The structure will also keep players attached to their franchises for a considerably longer period. Each team will have a 23-player squad, allowing franchises to build their groups around players suited to different formats.
Sohan believes that could be particularly useful for younger cricketers trying to establish themselves in senior domestic cricket.
“For an upcoming player, this is a big opportunity. They can remain involved with a team for a long period and get the chance to play different formats. The teams are also planning with four-day, one-day and T20 specialists in mind,” he said.
The Walton icon also backed the BCB’s initiative, saying the new structure could provide a more organised approach to domestic cricket.
“This is the first time our domestic cricket is being played in this format, and the cricket board deserves credit for how they have structured it. They have made the best possible effort to help the teams perform well,” Miraz said.
The board’s new approach was also evident in the team management selection process, with the six franchises choosing their head coach, two assistants, physiotherapist, strength and conditioning coach and performance analyst through a draft system.
Balls drawn from separate jars containing franchise names and serial numbers determined the selection order.
Walton had already identified its requirements before Tuesday’s draft, allowing the franchise to begin work on its coaching setup soon after completing its selections.
“The coaching list was given beforehand, and the team management decided which coach was needed for each position,” Miraz said.
“We spoke about the coaching setup after being picked. We did not get much time, but we have already started planning. We can make a more detailed plan when the player draft takes place.”
The player draft, which will determine the 23-member squads for each franchise, is scheduled for October 26.
Sohan also hopes the same emphasis on planning can eventually be extended to other major domestic competitions, including the Dhaka Premier League and the Bangladesh Premier League, to give players a more predictable year-round pathway.
