The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has approved a salary increase for the women’s national cricket team as part of their new central contract for the 2024-25 season. The announcement came following the BCB’s 16th board meeting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Under the revised structure, players in Grade A will now earn BDT 1,20,000 per month, a rise of BDT 20,000, while those in Grade B will receive BDT 1,00,000, also up by BDT 20,000. Grade C and D players will see their monthly salaries increase by BDT 10,000, to BDT 70,000 and BDT 60,000, respectively.  U-19 cricketers get cash bonus from BCB for Asia Cup triumph The central contract includes 18 players, with Sharmin Akter Supta, Murshida Khatun, Marufa Akter, and Rabeya receiving promotions to higher salary grades.  The BCB introduced a match and series-winning bonus system for the women’s team. Bonuses range from BDT 30,000 to BDT 1,00,000 depending on the ranking of the opposing team and match format.  To provide financial stability for a broader pool of players, the board has also launched the Women’s National Contract, covering 30 additional players outside the central contract.   “This step is a reflection of our effort to ensure the financial well-being of our women cricketers while motivating them to perform at the highest level,” Faruque Ahmed, the president of the BCB, said. Women cricketers in new national contract (2024-2025): Grade A: Nigar Sultana Joty, Farzana Haque, Ritu Moni, and Nahida Akter. Grade B:  the players are Fahima Khatun, Shamima Sultana, Sharmin Akter Supta, Murshida Khatun, Marufa Akter, and Rabeya. Grade C: Sobhana Mostary, Lata Mondol, Jahanara Alam, and Shoma Akter. Grade D: Disha Biswas, Sultana Khatun, Dilara Akter, and Shathi Rani.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Faruque Ahmed has left the door open for Shakib Al Hasan’s inclusion in the ICC Champions Trophy squad but admitted to having no updates on the all-rounder’s current status about playing for Bangladesh. Speaking after a board meeting in Mirpur, Faruque acknowledged Shakib’s eligibility for selection but said his participation remains uncertain.  “Shakib’s case is a completely different matter. This isn’t new. During the last series against the West Indies, he wasn’t mentally prepared to play, so he didn’t travel. Now, whether he will play in the BPL is something only he can decide. I don’t have any updates on his situation,” Faruque told reporters.  Despite Shakib’s absence from recent series and his retirement from Tests and T20Is, Faruque reiterated that as long as a player has not retired, they remain available for selection.  However it is doubtful whether Shakib could be minded to officially announce his retirement anymore, after the hostile reaction to his desire to retire from Test cricket by appearing in the home series against South Africa last month. U-19 cricketers get cash bonus from BCB for Asia Cup triumph On Tamim Iqbal, who has been out of the national side for over a year, Faruque said the decision lies with the selectors. “The chief selector has already spoken about Tamim. There’s no special policy yet. If a player hasn’t retired and the selectors feel they are needed, they will engage in discussions with that player,” he explained. In the ongoing inaugural edition of the National Cricket League T20, Tamim showed promising form. But his participation in the Champions Trophy, which will be held next February 2025 in Pakistan, remains uncertain. Tamim had announced his retirement from T20Is in 2022. In 2023, he stunningly announced his retirement from international cricket, but was persuaded to take back that announcement in 24 hours by deposed autocrat Sheikh Hasina.  

Bangladesh superstar Shakib Al Hasan, one of cricket's greatest all rounders, has been barred from bowling in international cricket and domestic competitions, following an independent assessment at an ICC-accredited testing centre in the United Kingdom. The suspension, effective immediately, draws on one applying to competitions under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that came to light recently. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has now been made to understand the wider implication of that ban. Victory Day friendly cricket on Monday in Mirpur According to a BCB media release, it has received communication from the ECB confirming that the suspension is in line with clause 11.3 of the ICC regulations for illegal bowling actions. According to this regulation, if a player is banned from bowling by a National Cricket Federation, the suspension is automatically enforced in international cricket and all other domestic competitions globally. ICC member countries' boards however may override the ban and allow someone in Shakib's position to bowl in competitions under their jurisdiction. It's a bizarre turn of events for the Bangladesh cricketer, who has plied his trade for at least 17 years in international cricket without raising eyebrows over his action. During this time, he has taken over 700 international wickets, including 246 in Test cricket. For him to be barred from bowling at the age of 37 suggests something has changed in his action. While Shakib is barred from bowling, he remains eligible to play as a batter in all formats of cricket. The BCB said that Shakib will soon undergo reassessment at an ICC-accredited center, and a clearance would allow him to resume bowling in international cricket and in competitions governed by other National Cricket Federations. Bangladesh add Nahid Rana to T20I squad against West Indies “The BCB is in regular contact with the ECB, the ICC, and the player throughout this process,” the board said in its media release, mentioning that no further comments would be made at this time. Shakib’s bowling action was initially flagged during his participation in a competition under the ECB’s jurisdiction. The ICC-accredited testing revealed irregularities, leading to his suspension. However, as per clause 11.4 of the ICC regulations, a successful reassessment could overturn the decision. Shakib’s forthcoming reassessment will determine when he can resume bowling. Until then, Shakib is expected to continue to play as a batter.  

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the launch of the National Cricket League (NCL) T20 edition on Saturday, aiming to provide a platform for local cricketers to prove their talent and prepare for the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).   The tournament, officially named the Al-Arafah Islami Bank NCL T20 Powered by Walton, will take place from December 11 to 24.    The tournament's logo was unveiled at a ceremony held at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka. The BCB President Faruk Ahmed, BCB Director Fahim Sinha, and representatives from the sponsors were present at the program.    A total of eight teams, including seven divisional teams and Dhaka Metro, will participate in the NCL T20.    The league matches will be played at the Sylhet Divisional Stadium and Sylhet Divisional Stadium Outer Ground, while the playoffs and the final will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.   BCB President Faruk Ahmed emphasised the tournament's importance in providing local cricketers with a platform to prove themselves ahead of the BPL.   He expressed his hope that the players would seize this opportunity to showcase their skills and contribute to the development of T20 cricket in Bangladesh.   The sponsors expressed their enthusiasm for being part of the tournament and their commitment to supporting cricket in Bangladesh.   The matches will be broadcast live on T Sports, the country's first and only sports channel, with at least 18 matches televised. All matches will also be available on the T Sports app. In addition, the matches will be streamed on the OTT platform FanCode in India and on the T Sports YouTube channel for the rest of the world.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday announced a 16-member Bangladesh Under-17 Cricket team to tour Sri Lanka for playing two three-day and three one- day matches against their Lanka counterpart. Bangladesh team expected to leave here for the Island nation Sri Lanka on Thursday (November 21). Former national cricketer Tushar Imran was named as  the coach of Bangladesh U-17 team. Touring Bangladesh team will start their campaign through a one-day series taking on hosts Sri Lanka on November 24, 26 and 28. They will play the first three- day match from December 1-3 and the 2nd and last three dayer on December 6-8. Members of Bangladesh U-17 team: Ferdous Kabir, Abdullah Al Mohi, Hridoy Hossain, Farhan Sadik, Adrit Ghose, Ehsanul Haque Mahim, Rakibul Hasan, Rakib Khan, Mahinuzzaman Mahbir, Atiqur Rahman Akash, Al  Amin Hossain, Abdur Rahim, Mahir Islam Chowdhury, Imran Hossain, Al Rafi and Sourav Karmakar. Four stand by players are: Ehsanul Momin, Mobassir Islam Munim, Faiyas Rehman and Kawser Ahmed.  

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), during its 15th board meeting held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday, made a series of pivotal decisions, including the cancellation of several directorships and the acceptance of three resignations from board members. Following constitutional guidelines, the board moved to vacate the directorships of eleven members due to their absence from three or more consecutive meetings. Those affected include Nazmul Hassan Papon, Manzur Kader, AJM Nasir Uddin, Sheikh Sohel, Advocate Anwarul Islam, Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, Muhammed Ismail Haider Mallick, Tanvir Ahmed (Titu), Obeid Rashid Nizam, Gazi Golam Murtoza, and Nazib Ahmed. In addition, the board formally accepted the resignations of three directors: A.M. Naimur Rahman Durjoy, Khaled Mahmud Shujon, and Md. Enayet Husain Siraj, marking further shifts in the organization’s leadership. To adapt to the changing needs of the sport and ensure continued organizational efficiency, the BCB has established a Constitution Amendment Committee, led by BCB Director Nazmul Abedeen. The committee’s role is to review the current BCB Constitution, propose necessary amendments, and ensure alignment with the board’s long-term strategic goals. In a bid to support athlete performance, the board also approved the construction of three fully equipped, modern gym facilities at the Test venues in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet. These new training centers are intended to enhance the physical conditioning of national athletes. Furthermore, the board confirmed the dates for the upcoming 11th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 Cricket tournament, which is set to commence on December 30, 2024, and conclude with the final match on February 7, 2025. To improve fan experience, the BCB has agreed in principle to implement a comprehensive e-ticketing system, simplifying the ticketing process for spectators and reducing on-site congestion.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) took initiative to sack the head coach of the national cricket team, Chandika Hathurusingha, and issued a show-cause notice. BCB President Faruque Ahmed confirmed on Tuesday at BCB headquarters that the board has decided to issue notice to Chandika. He was also asked to submit a reply to the show-cause notice in 48 hours. “Due to several incidents with broad consequences, we have taken action by issuing a show-cause and suspension letter to the coach,” Faruque Ahmed said. It’s understood that Chandika is accused of assaulting a national team member physically. The board has yet to reveal the incident in a more detailed manner. He was also involved in misconduct related to his agreement with the BCB. Is a new era in Bangladeshi cricket in the making? Chandika prefers to watch for now Phil Simmons will now be the new coach of the Bangladesh team. He signed an agreement till the next Champions Trophy which is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in 2025. As Bangladesh’s head coach, Chandika’s last assignment was the India tour, consisting of two Tests and three T20Is. Bangladesh lost all the matches without offering any kind of resistance. Nic Pothas Steps in as Bangladesh's Interim Coach in Chandika's Absence His best in this stint was Bangladesh’s 2-0 win in the Test series against Pakistan in Pakistan. But that was not enough to back his position as Bangladesh’s head coach. Faruque became the president of the BCB after the previous president, Nazmul Hasan, resigned following a popular uprising of students and citizens that ousted the government led by Sheikh Hasina. Chandika’s appointment as head coach last February by the previous board was met with a mixed reaction from the cricketing community. He coached Bangladesh in the last one-day and T20 World Cups, where Bangladesh failed to impress. Bangladesh’s performance in the one-day World Cup in India was more than forgettable, where they failed to win even against the Netherlands. ‘More experienced’ Chandika aims to find own game plan Farque Ahmed, the BCB boss, who also was a former captain of Bangladesh, criticized Chandiaka’s appointment when the previous board brought him back. Faruque and Chandika have a history of disagreements. During Chandika's first stint as Bangladesh's head coach, Faruque, then serving as the chief selector, often clashed with him over team selection, making their differences a frequent topic in the news. Chandika became Bangladesh’s coach for the first time in 2014. After a series in South Africa, he abruptly ended his job with BCB in 2017. Coincidently, he now lost his job before another series against South Africa at home.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, a regular face in the commentary box during the ongoing India-Bangladesh series, expressed concerns that infrastructural shortcomings are hindering the development of Bangladesh cricket. Tamim gave an interview to the Indian sports magazine, Sportstar, where he candidly discussed his retirement, potential return to international cricket, his relationship with Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's continued struggles in Test matches, and the factors impeding the cricketing progress of Bangladesh. In the extensive interview, Tamim also addressed the possibility of a Bangladeshi coach leading the national team. The former captain, who has scored over 15,000 runs and 25 centuries in international cricket, said that the lack of adequate facilities in Dhaka is a big factor to the slow development of Bangladesh cricket. “I made my debut in 2006-2007, and as we speak in 2024, not a single new training facility has been developed in Dhaka over the past 17 years,” Tamim said while discussing the areas Bangladesh cricket needs to focus on for growth. “Some aspects in Bangladesh are fine, but most need to change.” Tamim was critical of the board's financial management. The previous board president, Nazmul Hasan, often boasted about the board having hundreds of crores of taka in the bank to indicate the financial strength of the board. However, Tamim believes that instead of accumulating money in bank accounts, the board should invest it in developing infrastructure. “The funniest thing is that when the BCB claims to have Rs 1200 crore in its bank account, it feels like a slap in the face,” Tamim said. “There shouldn’t be 1200 crore sitting idle; there should be 200 crore in the account, and the remaining 1000 should be invested in developing infrastructure.” He added that corporate entities typically reinvest their earnings to facilitate growth, something the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) fails to do. The left-handed batter also questioned the absence of another facility in Dhaka comparable to the one in Mirpur and advocated for the need for good quality pitches across the country. “You definitely need a facility like Mirpur, and while I’m okay with playing to your strengths on certain pitches, it’s crucial to produce quality wickets at the domestic level as well,” he said. “This way, you can test your cricketers and prepare them for the international stage.” Regarding his potential return to international cricket, Tamim said that there needs to be a clear path and purpose for him to consider it. He neither explicitly ruled out a return nor definitively confirmed it. On his relationship with Shakib, Tamim remained somewhat vague and did not explicitly state what transpired between them to cause their relationship to deteriorate. Furthermore, one of Bangladesh's all-time best batters expressed his belief that Bangladesh currently lacks someone capable of being the head coach of the national team. He suggested that the board should recruit coaching staff for the national team at a 30:70 ratio, with 30% being foreign coaches in top positions and the remaining 70% being local officials, allowing them to develop for a better future. Tags: BCB, Bangladesh cricket, Tigers, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today announced the squad for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup, taking place next month in the USA and West Indies. Taskin Ahmed was uncertain due to a muscle injury, but he was eventually added to the squad as the vice-captain.  Mohammad Saifuddin, who played in the last home series against Zimbabwe, but he is overlooked for the World Cup. Instead of Saifuddin, Bangladesh selected Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Read more: Why Delay in Bangladesh's World Cup Squad Announcement? Bangladesh's campaign begins on June 7, against Sri Lanka in Dallas, followed by a match against South Africa in New York on June 10. The team will then travel to the West Indies for their remaining two first-round matches. Prior to the tournament, Bangladesh will play a practice-match against India in New York on June 1 and a three-match T20I-Series against the hosts, USA, in Houston. This series will also feature the World Cup Squad. Gazi Ashraf Hossain, Abdur Razzak, and and Hannan Sarkar were present at the squad announcement. Gazi Ashraf, the chief selector, announced the squad. Read more: Will Taskin Ahmed Make the Cut for T20 World Cup? Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Taskin Ahmed (vice-captain), Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Sheikh Mahedi, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Reserves: Hasan Mahmud and Afif Hossain.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and batsman Soumya Sarkar return to the T20I squad as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the team for the final two matches of the five-match series against Zimbabwe. Shakib, who missed the first three matches due to Dhaka League commitments, rejoins the squad alongside Mustafizur Rahman, who returned from the IPL on May 2. Soumya Sarkar also makes a comeback after recovering from a knee injury. To accommodate their return, the selectors have left out Parvez Hossain Emon and Afif Hossain for the remaining matches, while Shoriful Islam has been rested. Read more: Towhid's 50 propels Bangladesh to 165 in 3rd T20I against Zimbabwe Bangladesh has already secured the series with victories in the first three matches, but Zimbabwe will be looking to salvage some pride in the final two games, scheduled for May 10th and 12th in Dhaka. This series marks Bangladesh's final home fixtures before the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which will be held in the USA and West Indies next month. Bangladesh Squad for Final Zimbabwe T20Is: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Sakib, Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin. Read more: Zimbabwe Come Close, But Bangladesh Clinch the Series