Shawdesh Desk:

Out of favour, national cricketers Mahmudullah Riyad, Mosaddek Hossain, and Nurul Hasan are set to be excluded from the national contract following their prolonged absence in international cricket, said officials on Monday.

The trio did not represent the national team for nearly six months, which prompted the Bangladesh Cricket Board to invoke a clause that would terminate their contracts automatically, said the officials.

Currently, the BCB has 21 national men’s team players on its payroll for three separate formats.

Mahmudullah, who retired from Tests and Twenty20 internationals, is only in the one-day international contract, while Mosaddek and Nurul are in the T20 contract.

Mahmudullah played his last international match in March against England before losing his place in the ODI team owing to his poor form and fitness.

Selectors ignored him in the squad for the Asia Cup as well, effectively ending his chance to be considered for the forthcoming World Cup in India in October-November.

Mosaddek and Nurul have yet to play any international matches this year.

Mosaddek played his last match in the ICC T20I World Cup in November 2022, while Nurul made his last international appearance during the Test series against India in December of the same year.

BCB’s cricket operations chairman, Jalal Yunus, said he was unaware of such development.

‘I have no idea about it,’ said Jalal when approached.

Apart from Mahmudullah, Mosaddek, and Nurul, two other national cricketers, Khaled Ahmed and Zakir Hasan, who are contracted only in the Test format, featured only in one match each this year.

Right-arm pacer Khaled played against Ireland in April after the Tigers’ pace spearhead, Taskin Ahmed, was ruled out of the series due to his injury.

On the other hand, right-handed opener Zakir, who has played in three Tests since his debut in this format against India in December 2022, also managed to play a single Test against their Afghanistan counterparts at home in June.