Tamim Iqbal, a veteran figure in Bangladesh cricket, finds himself sidelined once again as he was not included in the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) central contracts list for the year 2024.
Tamim’s journey with the national team has been tumultuous, marked by retirement announcements and subsequent reversals. Despite his brief retirement last year, followed by a return, his future with the national team remains uncertain, especially after being omitted from the latest contracts.
While Tamim had expressed intentions to clarify his international cricket status during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), this recent development indicates a potential shift in the BCB’s plans, suggesting that Tamim might not feature prominently in their strategies for 2024, although he could still make appearances in ODIs and Tests.
The contracts list for 2024 features 21 cricketers, with emerging talent Shoriful Islam and newly appointed captain Najmul Hossain Shanto securing contracts across all formats. Notably, Taskin Ahmed, who previously held a contract covering all formats, now retains deals for ODIs and T20Is following a request to be excused from Test matches due to a shoulder injury sustained during the World Cup last year.
Among the notable exclusions from the central contracts are Ebadot Hossain, Afif Hossain, and Mosaddek Hossain. However, the new list introduces promising talents like Towhid Hridoy, Tanzim Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Naeem Hasan, and Nurul Hasan.
Additionally, the BCB has approved salary contracts for 85 first-class cricketers for the year 2024, reflecting their commitment to nurturing talent across various tiers of the game.
The breakdown of the 2024 Bangladesh central contracts is as follows:
– 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, and Hasan Mahmud
– Only Tests: Mominul Hoque, Taijul Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Khaled Ahmed, and Naeem Hasan
– Only ODIs: Mahmudullah and Tanzim Hasan
– Only T20Is: Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, and Nurul Hasan
