The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has increased player salaries in its new central contract. At the beginning of last month, a board meeting approved enhancements to the payment and benefits of national team cricketers.
This year, players will receive Tk 2 lakh per T20 match, Tk 3 lakh per ODI, and Tk 6 lakh per Test match. Although there was a proposal to raise match fees last year, the board ultimately decided to introduce performance bonuses instead.
Despite a relatively light international schedule in 2025, the increase in match fees means national players’ income from salary and match fees will exceed Tk 2 crore.
Even former Test captain Mominul Haque, who is only under a red-ball (Test) central contract, is expected to earn over Tk 1 crore from salary and match fees alone.
In 2026, Bangladesh’s international cricket calendar is set to become much busier. As a result, contracted players’ earnings from salaries and match fees could surpass expectations. According to the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), Bangladesh is scheduled to play 8 Tests, 20 ODIs, and 12 T20Is in 2026.
In addition, the ICC T20 World Cup will be held in India and Sri Lanka in February 2026. Bangladesh is guaranteed four group stage matches, and if the team advances to later rounds, players’ earnings could break all previous records.
With the increased match fees, a player who participates in all matches in 2026 could earn nearly Tk 2 crore from match fees alone. On top of that, some players will have the opportunity to earn an additional Tk 1 crore from annual salaries.
Beyond these, there’s also potential for substantial income from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Dhaka Premier League (DPL), and various overseas franchise tournaments.
Once upon a time, former world No. 1 all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was the only Bangladeshi cricketer to surpass the Tk 5 crore mark in annual earnings. Now, it’s time for his successors. If players like Taskin Ahmed and Najmul Hossain Shanto remain fit and active in both international and domestic cricket, reaching the Tk 5 crore income mark may no longer be a dream—it could become reality.
