BCB Chief Nazmul Hassan Slams Bangladesh Players After Series Loss To Afghanistan

With Bangladesh on the verge of suffering a humiliating 3-0 whitewash at the hands of Afghanistan, Bangladesh Cricket Board chief Nazmul Hassan has come out all guns blazing against the team. Hassan has accused the players of taking advantage of a “free environment in the dressing room” in the absence of a head coach.

Bangladesh are without a head coach since Chandika Hathurusingha’s departure last October. Since then, they lost the Test and T20I series at home to Sri Lanka and failed to win the ODI tri-series. They did well in the Nidahas Trophy, reaching the final but ended up losing a game that was very much on their side.

“It is very disappointing and it seems like a repetition of our performance before the Nidhas Trophy. There is a possibility that the unexpected freedom that is running in their own environment might have some kind of impact as they are not used to it,” Nazmul said.

“Earlier they were guided by someone [Chandika Hathurusingha] known to be firm follower of strict discipline without any compromise. And they were used to run by someone who carried an angry-man like personality preferring to take all the decision by himself.

“I was with them in Sri Lanka during the Nidahas Trophy and they played reasonably and though they did not play extremely well still no one questioned while they lost. Somehow now I don’t find them to be representing Bangladesh,” he added.

Hathurusingha had enjoyed a very successful spell with the Tigers. He guided Bangladesh to the quarter-final of the 2015 World Cup, and the semi-final of the 2017 Champions Trophy. Under him, the Tigers registered ODI series victories over India, Pakistan and South Africa. In Tests, Bangladesh registered their first-ever win against England and Australia respectively at home, and against Sri Lanka away.

Not surprisingly, the board is having a hard time finding a replacement for their former coach. The board offered Courtney Walsh the role on an interim basis. But the team’s recent results have forced the officials to speed up their search. Recent reports are suggesting that England’s Steve Rhodes is the favourite to take the job.

Hassan also questioned Shakib Al Hasan’s captaincy and the batting approach of senior players.

“There will always be questions over the captaincy,” Hassan said. “Even I questioned him [Shakib] after the first game. I did not speak to anyone after losing the second game. Yes there might have been a change in the dressing room without a coach but then what have they learnt in the past years?

“I cannot understand how they can give away wickets despite being set like Mushfiqur, [Mahmudullah] Riyad or even Tamim. There is nothing to make them understand or realise. It is tough for me to understand what they were thinking or had in plan,” he added.