BCB yet to pay Shakib for final four months of his contract

While the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced on Monday that they have decided to increase the salary of players as well as match fees, their premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is yet to receive his salary for the final four months of 2024 when he was under the national contract.

Meanwhile, Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, the BCB director, wants Phil Simmons to continue in his role as Bangladesh head coach till the 2027 ODI World Cup, report agencies.

BCB officials admitted the development to Cricbuzz adding that they could not disburse his payment as his bank account was frozen. "It's true that he (Shakib) is yet to receive salary for September, October, November and December and that is largely due to the fact his bank account got frozen," an official of the board working closely with the development confirmed on Monday.

It is understood that Shakib is expected to receive BDT 48 Lakhs (USD 38400) excluding taxes. During the ninth board meeting that was held on February 12 last year, BCB announced the central contact list for 2024 where Shakib was given an all formats contract alongside Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and Shoriful Islam.

Shakib, who wished to play his last Test at home against South Africa while announcing his retirement from Tests and T20Is during the Kanpur Test against India in September, did not return home to feature against the Proteas due to security reasons.

Shakib, who was accused in a murder case during the unrest that led to the fall of the government while playing the Test series against India, continued playing the series as the BCB allowed him to play for the national team until he was proven guilty.

Meanwhile, BCB director Fahim said the board would have official discussions with Simmons soon, and is hoping to get him for the role on a long-term basis.

Simmons was appointed in October last year on an interim role. During his four-month stint, Bangladesh won just one series, a 3-0 win against West Indies in T20Is. The team made an early exit from the Champions Trophy, too, after losing to India and New Zealand. Their last game, against Pakistan, was washed out.

Despite that, Simmons has won the approval of both the BCB president Faruque Ahmed and

director Fahim, the two most influential figures in the current board.

"The contracts of our head coach and senior assistant coach was till mid-March," Fahim said. "We are satisfied with them, so we will get in touch with them for renegotiation. If we can't get into an understanding with them, we have to think about other options. We are hopeful of reaching a mutual understanding with them. We are thinking of extending their contracts till the 2027 World Cup.

"We will speak to him formally very soon. I have seen him from up close. I am convinced he will do well with the Bangladesh

team. I have also seen the interpersonal relationships he has with the local coaches and the players. I think he will do well here."

The BCB is also set to renew the contract of senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin, who was also appointed on a short-term basis last November.