Tamim excluded from BCB central contract list; Shanto and Shoriful get all-format deals

Tamim Iqbal’s Bangladesh future continues to be in limbo, after being left out of the BCB’s central contracts list for 2024.

Tamim had retired from international cricket for less than 24 hours in July last year, before the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina talked him out of it. He resigned from captaincy and made himself available for the World Cup, but not before falling out with the BCB.

His relationship with the board, though, has been mostly amicable in the past few months, with Tamim saying that he was going to make an announcement about his status as an international cricketer during the BPL.

This announcement from the BCB, however, leaves a strong suggestion that Tamim is no longer in their plans for 2024, even though he could theoretically still return in ODIs and Tests.

Among the 21 cricketers who were handed national contracts, Shoriful Islam and new captain Najmul Hossain Shanto got the all-format deals. Taskin Ahmed, who had the triple contract last year, now has the ODI and T20I deal with the BCB. He had reportedly sent a letter to the BCB recently, asking to be not considered for Tests.

Taskin is managing a shoulder injury that he suffered during the World Cup in India last year. He missed the home Tests against New Zealand thereafter, as well as the white-ball tour to New Zealand in December. He is currently playing in the BPL for Durdanto Dhaka.

Apart from Tamim, Ebadot Hossain, Afif Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain are also out of the central contracts list. Among the new entrants for 2024 are Towhid Hridoy, Tanzim Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Naeem Hasan and Nurul Hasan.

Meanwhile, the BCB has approved the first-class cricketers’ salary contract for 2024, with 85 players receiving contracts.

2024 Bangladesh central contracts

All formats: Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Shoriful Islam

Tests and ODIs: Mushfiqur Rahim

ODIs and T20Is: Taskin Ahmed, Towhid Hridoy, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud

Only Tests: Mominul Hoque, Taijul Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Khaled Ahmed, Naeem Hasan

Only ODIs: Mahmudullah, Tanzim Hasan

Only T20Is: Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan