5 ways how Bangladesh cricket can go to the next level

#4 The Big Bucks

Shakib-al-Hasan is one of the players that has captured the public’s imagination in Bangladesh

It is shocking how poorly the Bangladeshi players, the premier sportsmen in a nation of 161 million people, are paid. Players make less from international cricket than from the Dhaka Premier League, a regional 50-over competition. While the BCB have hiked salaries by up to 60% in the latest installation, they are still a long way off the big boys.

Bangladeshi cricket is growing in popularity, and with the rise of stars like Shakib Al-Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman and even the young Mehedi Hasan, there is a lot of money to be made off cricket, and it is just fair that the players are compensated equally.

To reach the pinnacle of the world game, Bangladesh’s cricket board must begin to pay their players at parity with the big teams in the world, which will not only increase participation in professional cricket, it will also prevent players from seeking opportunities in the T20 circuit. Players will be able to afford specialised training for their game, such as personal fitness trainers, and playing for their country will be their priority, rather than a national duty. They will no longer need to play in professional or Twenty20 leagues to earn their keep.