Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed has received a big boost as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has upgraded his category in the central contracts list, despite the team’s recent struggles.
Taskin Ahmed Climbs to A+ Category Amid Bangladesh’s Cricket Evolution
The proposed draft of the central contracts list was presented to the BCB directors at their meeting on February 3. According to the draft, Taskin Ahmed has received an upgrade.
According to Cricbuzz, the BCB national selection panel has placed Taskin Ahmed in the A+ category, the highest in Bangladesh’s central contracts list. There are 22 players in the central contracts list for 2025.
The changes in the contracts were made to reward the top performances of players in international cricket. The board has switched back to the universal grading system, dividing players into five categories – A+, A, B, C, and D – rather than categorizing them by Test, ODI, and T20I formats as before.
Taskin Ahmed has recently transformed into an all-format cricketer for Bangladesh. In the Champions Trophy 2025, he took 2 wickets in as many games, with an average of 32 and an economy rate of 4.
He also made a return to the Test side, playing against the West Indies in two Test matches. Taskin was the highest wicket-taker of the series, claiming 11 wickets in 2 matches at an average of 18.63.
Top-order batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto, wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das, allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and veteran wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim have been placed in the A category. All these players are regular members of the team, with only Litton Das missing out on the Champions Trophy this year.
Read More
BCB’s Central Contracts List Update
These players are active across all formats, except for Mushfiqur Rahim, who retired from T20Is on September 4, 2022, after the Asia Cup in the UAE. However, he remains a part of Bangladesh’s Test and ODI teams.
Category B includes experienced players like Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Mustafizur Rahman, and Taijul Islam. Mominul plays only Tests, and Mahmudullah has retired from Tests and T20Is.
Category C has players like Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Jaker Ali, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain, and Mahedi Hasan.
Category D includes just two players: Nasum Ahmed and Khaled Ahmed.
The board has not approved the list yet, as it still needs to decide whether veteran cricketers Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah should be given central contracts.
Both players are aiming for the 2027 ODI World Cup, but selectors have emphasized the importance of their performance in the format. With their vast experience, they could still be key for Bangladesh.
However, both had a disappointing Champions Trophy. Rahim scored only 2 runs in two matches, while Mahmudullah scored just 4 runs in his single match.
ALSO READ: Hardik Pandya’s Knee Twist Puts India’s Champions Trophy Final At Risk
