DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has just announced lists players on central contract with the board for year 2020. This is for the first time they announced separate lists for white ball and red cherry with some common players for both categories. The lists of players are as follows.

Contracted Players For Test (Red Ball) 
Tamim Iqbal khan, Liton Kumar Das, Mominul Haq, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Taijul Islam, Mehedy Hasan Meraj, Naeem Hasan, Abu Jayed Rahi and Ebadat Hossain.

Contracted Players For ODI and T20 (White Ball) :
Tamim Iqbal Khan, Liton Kumar Das, Mahmudullah Riad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Mohammad Mithun, Taijul Islam, Mehedy Hasan Miraj, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Afif Hossain and Naim Sheikh.

Accepting genuine mistake BCB has added Soumya Sarkar to the list later. We are all aware that former Test and T20 Captain leading all rounder Shakaib Al Hasan now serving ICC ban and just playing last ODI as captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (self withdrawn from list) are not in the list. Seven players – Tamim, Liton, Shanto, Mushfique, Mithun, Taijul and Mehedi Miraj are there in all formats. Four players Mominul, Naeem Hasan, Abu Jayed Rahi and Ebadat Hossian are there as test players only. Similarly five players Mahmudullah Riad, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Afiff Hossain and Naim Sheikh are listed in ODI and T20 only. 

Reviewing the lists it appears that five new players have been added this year and seven players from last years lists have been discarded. The total number of listed players this year is 16 plus with the addition of Soumya Sarkar 17 as it was last year. It may be mentioned that following the players revolt last year prior to tour of India BCB as compromise agreed increasing the number of contracted players (as appeared in media report) to 30. BCB has definitely explanation why they did not keep their commitments. But in common sense we must say an ICC full member country trying to consolidate its ranking in all formats 17 players are way too less in the contract list. It is a failure for BCB Cricket operation that they could not develop a resource base of quality and competent players of at least 30 giving the BCB selectors enough options to choose from. However, there is no bar to select player in any format outside the list of contracted players. But Central Contract is an incentive and gives motivation to players for concentration. We hope BCB does not mention that the entire Under 19 are contracted for a separate category of Under 21 as an excuse for limiting the number of contracted players. 

The major omissions from the list are Imrul Kayes, Sadman Islam, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed and few other fringe players. Sadman is in Melbourne now nursing his injury. Imrul has just got injured while practicing. Rubel should have been considered at least for white ball and Taskin should have been there for test cricket. We have noted some agitated reactions from players. If BCB really agreed to players demand of increasing number of listed players to 30 they should have honored their commitments. Perhaps they have plans for waiting till end of DCL for including rest of the players in different format and different categories.

After watching very courageous performance of Bangladeshi Girls in ICC Women’s T20 world cup would suggest another list of at least 20 women players in BCB contract and giving them comparable facilities like other teams of the world for developing skills and temperament. Their recent performances in Asian level and world level richly deserve this. BCB is alleged to incur unnecessary expenditures in various unproductive areas. Let good senses prevail. BCB can very well afford to have up to 50 men and 20 women players of quality in the central contract at different category instead of wasting money on so called amateur board members (travel and honorium).

BDST: 1252 HRS, MAR 11, 2020
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