BCB [Bangladesh Cricket Board] operations chairman Akram Khan had previously announced that the number of players having a central contract would be decreased this year. And BCB has eventually slashed its number of central contracts to ten cricketers.

BCB president Nazmul Hasan said that the salaries will remain the same and it would be later announced which player falls under which category. He also confirmed that three more recruits will be later added in the list of contracts.

Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Mosaddek Hossain and Kamrul Islam Rabbi, who got a contract last time under categories varying from B to D, have been axed this year from getting a central contract.

The ten players who are remaining in the central contracts are: Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mominul Haque, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hosain, Mustafizur Rahman, and Taijul Islam.

The decision was finalized in the third meeting of BCB’s board of directors in Mirpur. BCB also decided to review the contract of first-class cricketers during the meeting.

Many assumed that the number of central contracts would decrease to fifteen, instead of sixteen cricketers in 2017. But BCB has made a big shake-up in the numbers.