BCB explains decision not to renew Saikat’s contract

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday clarified its position regarding International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Panel umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat, whose contract with the board ended in April this year.

According to the BCB, Saikat was contracted as a BCB umpire until December 2025, after which his deal was extended until April 2026. Following the expiry of the extended term, the board decided not to renew the contract, citing his growing responsibilities as an ICC Elite Panel umpire, which could limit his availability to perform duties for the BCB.

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"The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has taken note of recent media reports concerning International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Panel Umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat's engagement with the Board, which may have caused some confusion or misunderstanding about his current status," the BCB said in a press release.

The board also noted that placing ICC Elite Panel umpires under central contracts is not standard practice among Full Member countries because of the difficulty of balancing their international officiating commitments with the scheduling requirements of national boards.

However, the BCB said it can continue to appoint Saikat for bilateral international series as well as domestic first-class, List A and T20 competitions, subject to his availability.

The board added that after the expiry of his contract in April 2026, Saikat was appointed to officiate in the T20I series between Bangladesh and Australia in June under the same arrangement.