Bangladesh’s One-Day International (ODI) captain, Tamim Iqbal, is presently on vacation in Dubai with his family. Recently, he was at the center of a retirement saga, unexpectedly announcing his retirement from the game only to reverse the decision less than 24 hours later after a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Following the meeting with the PM, it was declared that Tamim would rejoin the national team as the captain for the Asia Cup. Tamim is scheduled to travel to England from Dubai to receive treatment for his back issues and subsequently return to Bangladesh to lead the team.

However, some uncertainty remains regarding Tamim’s captaincy. Before departing for Dubai, Tamim mentioned in conversations with two local media outlets that he would have a meeting with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) upon his return, and the outcome of that meeting would play a significant role in determining his future as captain.

Nonetheless, BCB President Nazmul Hassan expressed firm belief that Tamim will retain his position as Bangladesh’s captain in the 50-over format. “I want to say one thing in very simple terms. Tamim will be our captain in the World Cup,” Nazmul told the press after meeting with the national women’s team in Dhaka.

Nazmul clarified that if Tamim does not play, someone else will lead the team. Due to recent injuries, Tamim has missed some matches, and Litton Das took charge as captain in his absence. The BCB president stated that the board is unsure about the matches Tamim will play and when he will be ready to return.

Regarding Tamim’s back injury, the president refrained from commenting initially, but later asserted that the board would do everything necessary to support Tamim in his recovery. Nazmul addressed Tamim’s recent comments that seemed to indirectly blame some members of the national team’s trainers, physio, and medical wing for the worsening of his back injury.

The topic of Mahmudullah’s return to the ODI team also came up during the press conference. However, Nazmul avoided giving a definitive answer, stating that it is difficult for him to comment without consulting with the selectors and observing Mahmudullah’s performance in upcoming matches.

Despite the uncertainties, the BCB president emphasized the board’s commitment to helping Tamim regain fitness and assured that any required medical intervention would be provided without hesitation.

Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hasan Papon Holds Key Role in World Cup 2023 Squad Selection.

When it comes to selecting the Bangladesh national team, the final decision often lies with Nazmul Hasan, the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), who is known for his influential role. While the national selection panel, head coach, and captain are involved in the team selection process, no squad is deemed final without the approval of the BCB boss.

With the World Cup 2023 just a few months away, Nazmul has hinted at the potential composition of the 15-member Bangladesh squad for this major tournament. During a media interaction at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday, held on the sidelines of the Physically Challenged Cricket Tournament 2023, Nazmul revealed that the core of the squad has already been established.

Nazmul disclosed that the confirmed members of the squad include Tamim Iqbal, the captain of the Bangladesh one-day international team, along with Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, and the promising young talent Towhid Hridoy.
BCB President Nazmul Hasan Contemplates Inclusion of Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, and Ebadot Hossain in World Cup Squad.

Nazmul Hasan believes that there should be a place for Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, and Ebadot Hossain in the Bangladesh squad for the upcoming World Cup. During the media interaction, Nazmul, however, turned to the journalists present and handed them the responsibility of determining the remaining spots in the squad.

“I’m curious to know what you all are thinking,” said Nazmul. “I would like to hear your thoughts on the squad and the playing XI.”
There is much speculation regarding the inclusion of experienced all-rounder Mahmudullah in the squad. “We are pleased that the media is actively discussing the possible World Cup squad. It assists us in some ways, to be honest,” the BCB chief stated. “However, social media is a different story. There are many individuals with limited cricket knowledge who still share their opinions.”

Nazmul further commented, “If we decide to play with five bowlers, there is room to include an extra batsman. Currently, [Yasir Ali] Rabbi is part of the squad, but Mahmudullah, Afif [Hossain], and Mosaddek [Hossain Saikat] can also make it to the team at any given moment. In such a scenario, having an all-rounder in the XI is beneficial as it strengthens our bowling. But these are just my opinions; the final decision lies with Nannu [national chief selector Minhajul Abedin].”

Mahmudullah’s last appearance for Bangladesh in ODIs was during the home series against England in March earlier this year.
Mahmudullah’s Absence in Recent Series Raises Questions About World Cup Playing XI. Following Mahmudullah’s absence from two series, both home and away against Ireland, where a total of six ODIs were played, there is uncertainty surrounding his inclusion in the World Cup squad. Even if he secures a spot in the squad, it is likely that the experienced campaigner may not be selected for the playing XI.
Regarding the possibility of not choosing Mahmudullah in the playing XI, Nazmul emphasized the need to change such a negative mindset. “We have to move away from this mentality. The selection can be based on the batting form of Afif and Mahmudullah. Since his return from injury, Rabbi has struggled to perform well,” stated the BCB supremo.

“When considering bowling options, Afif and Mosaddek are ahead in the competition. Mahmudullah can also contribute with his bowling. In terms of fielding, Afif takes the top spot, followed by Mosaddek ahead of Mahmudullah,” concluded Nazmul.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not yet announced the deadline for announcing the World Cup squad. Given the tournament’s scheduled location in India, the ICC is facing a dilemma due to the political and cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan, the two arch-rivals. Recently, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Najam Sethi, threatened that Pakistan would not participate in the World Cup unless India agrees to take part in the Asia Cup 2023, which is slated to be hosted by Pakistan.

As of now, the ICC has not even finalized the fixtures for the World Cup, scheduled to be held in India in October-November this year.

The Dhaka Premier League (DPL) game is going on even in intense heat. So that disgruntled clubs. The cricket board will consider whether the game can be organized at another time by changing the calendar in the future. However, the BCB president has expressed doubts about whether the clubs will agree or not. He commented that clubs do not want to play DPL without national team cricketers. Life in intense heat is oral. Life does not stop in between. Dhaka Premier League is going on. The DPL game is going on in such bad weather for a few days. The game was played in three venues, with which the Abahani coach, Khaled Mahmud Sujan also expressed his displeasure. Last league game for now. The Super League schedule has not been finalized yet. So the question to the head of the board is, is it possible to change the schedule of the Dhaka league? However, it is difficult to walk the easy path in coordination with the cricketers and the clubs, the simple admission of the BCB chief.

Nazmul Hasan Papon said, ‘The heat is unexpected. We have never seen anything like this before. It will be on our minds. This will be kept in mind when we plan sports in the future. But with that in mind, I don’t think much can be done. With the calendar we have and the free time we have, it is very difficult. Because I’m telling you. We will be able to play, the question is whether the clubs will agree to play. Nobody wants to play except the national team players. Considering the commitment they have, it is very difficult to find playing time. ‘There are rumors that Sheikh Sohail will leave the post of BPL Governing Council Chairman. Although he does not know anything about this officially, the BCB boss commented.

Bangladesh made a new appearance by whitewashing England at home. From the fans to the BCB chief, they were surprised to see such a performance of the team. The Bangladesh-England series was held from March 1 to March 14. While losing the ODI series with a margin of 2-1, the representatives of red and green have beaten the Englishmen by a margin of 3-0 in the T20. BCB President Nazmul Hasan Papon was impressed by such a game of Tigers. At the end of the third T20, the BCB president said, ‘The way Bangladesh played on wickets like Chittagong and also in Dhaka, it is unbelievable. Our target in this match was 170-180 runs. But our runs came less in the last five overs. Still, we never thought that we would be able to dominate and play on such a sporting wicket. Nazmul Hossain, who was suffering from a run drought against the English, got a glimpse of runs.

Papon said, ‘Shant is the best opener in T20. He was not getting runs for a long time. I was a little worried about it. Now that worry is gone. He batted very well. Consistently the way Shanta has run is not usually seen. I left out the fielding here. Meanwhile, Bangladesh last played a series in England in 2011. The Tigers have not been invited to play the series at the Three Lions field in a long time. After the performance of Shakib-Litton, the ECB chief assured to host the series at home. In this regard, Nazmul Hasan Papon said, “After seeing the game of Bangladesh, England has said why we have not hosted the match for so long!” They have promised that they will see whether the match can be organized as soon as possible from here. Shakib revealed the secret of defeating England.

He is the father of cricket, the best in the world. Such a team, England, was defeated by Bangladesh. However, this work could not be done miraculously by the representatives of Lal-subj. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has opened up about the secret behind such success. Bangladesh whitewashed England at Mirpur Shere-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday (March 14). The representatives of Lal-Subaj played well in the entire T20 series. The world’s best all-rounder has answered the question of how the criticized Bangladesh did so well in the T20. Shakib went back to the recent past to reveal the secret of doing well. “We didn’t win the match in the Asia Cup, but we did very well,” he said. And our misfortune in the World Cup is that we could not play in the semi-finals. Our chance had come. But we were convinced that we were very close to success.

Shakib said, ‘From the World Cup, we have this belief that we can compete against big teams. There were many doubts before. But the World Cup performance has boosted our morale. And since it was our home game, we had more confidence.”About doing well against England, the Bangladesh captain said, ‘I knew we could beat them if we played well. They were a few batsmen short, we were able to exploit this space. Whenever they lost three or four wickets, there were no more batsmen. This matter has come as an additional opportunity for us.

Bangladesh was in fear of a whitewash after losing badly in the first two ODIs of the series. But in the third match, Shakib Al Hasan did not have to be ashamed of the Tigers with his all-round skills. So at the end of the match Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hasan Papon came to the stage to praise him. He said, without any doubt, Shakib is our best player. After six and a half years, Bangladesh has seen victory in a 50-over match against England.

On Monday (March 6) the English were killed by 50 runs. Where the achievement was of Tiger all-rounder Shakib. Bangladesh was under pressure in the beginning due to the failure of two openers to bat first. Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim relieved the pressure on the team on the third wicket. However, if Shakib did not play a great inning of 75 runs in 71 balls with the bat, the Tigers would not have got the fighting collection. With the target of 247 runs, if Shakib did not show ‘magic’ with the ball, it would have been impossible to kill the world champion England.

Devastating Phil Salt, the previous match’s centurion Jason Roy, James Vince who took control of the match, and finally Rehan Ahmed; Shakib played the most important role in Bangladesh’s victory with the ball by picking up one wicket after another. The Tigers won by 50 runs. At the end of the match, the BCB president praised him. Facing the media, Papon said, ‘Shakib is our best player. There is no room for any doubt about it. I have seen since the beginning of this series, even since the last T20 World Cup, I have seen a big change in him.

He is desperate to win. He was desperate to win before but now he has more ambition. This is a very good sign. Shakib will be a big threat to anyone the day he performs. Ebadat Hossain also played an important role in Bangladesh’s victory with the ball. He created pressure in the English camp by taking the wickets of David Malan and Moeen Ali when the team needed it. So Papon did not forget to praise the worship. He told the media that Ibadat bowled well. What Ibadat has done in Taskin’s place today is truly commendable.

Before the start of the three-match ODI series against England on Wednesday, Nazmul Hasan Papon paid a courtesy call on the cricketers at the team hotel and inspired them to play brave cricket.

The Tigers went on the backfoot after losing the first ODI by 3 wickets. Bangladesh will lose the three-match series if they fail to win the second match on Friday. So the day before the start of the second ODI, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Papon went to the team hotel.

Papon told the media on Thursday that there is only one reason behind coming to the team hotel today. “When I came before the first match, I didn’t see Shakib that day. After Shakib’s request, I came today. I came mainly to sit with them, to encourage them, to see them. There are some teams; it’s not so easy to win with them. Winning and losing is not a big deal, I came here to give a little courage.”

Shakib and Tamim have been good friends since their debut in international cricket. But their previous relationship is no more. They avoid each other now. Don’t even speak. The BCB president said this to the media in a recent interview.
In this regard, the board president said, “I sat and talked with Tamim and Shakib for a long time. The coach was also there. The tension in their relationship should end here. They have assured me that it will not affect the game on the field. I got that proof.”

“If a senior player does not perform, Hathuru will not keep him in the team,” commented BCB president Nazmul Hasan. He hopes that the Bangladesh team’s outfit will be ‘healthy’ from the upcoming home series against England. Which was lacking when Russell Domingo was the coach. However, the BCB chief gave even more explosive information to the cricket-related website Cricbuzz. Mentioning the restoration of order as his priority, Nazmul Hasan brought to light the rumors of conflict between the two senior cricketers of the national team, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal. Admittedly, there are groupings at the party. He said, “I can say with a guarantee that the current dressing room is not healthy. I spoke to both Shakib and Tamim.

I understand that what is going on between them is not easy to solve at the moment. This is our observation. Both of them are given the same message – we don’t know what’s going on between you. But in any match and series where you are playing, this conflict should not be revealed. Both have assured us that it will not affect the match. Stating that his first participation in the ICC board meeting as BCB president was not pleasant, he said, “It felt as if there was no place for Bangladesh.” In the next meeting, it was discussed to exclude Bangladesh and Zimbabwe from the Test. So after that meeting, my main goal became to improve the performance of the team. Because, when you perform, there is no reason not to attract their (ICC’s) attention.’He added, ‘Our target is to reach the fifth position in the ranking.

If you improve your ranking, everyone will respect you. Another thing is the audience. The ICC will not have a high opinion of a team as long as they are not attracting crowds. Both issues are related to each other. If the performance is good, the audience will come to the field. In a lengthy interview with Cricbuzz, Nazmul Hasan admitted that it will be difficult for Chandika Hathurusingha to handle the senior players in the team. He said, ‘Domingo also had this problem. At one point he gave up. If you give up, we (BCB) will not benefit.’Nazmul Hasan added, ‘It is difficult to manage seniors. The problem with our players is that they don’t talk to us about their future. So it’s a tough challenge for both sides – Hathuru and the senior players. One thing is clear to me, if a senior player does not perform, then Hathuru will not keep him on the team. He said, ‘I think a problem will arise after Hathuru comes. But I won’t reveal it. Hope the problem is not big. He will not entertain seniors in the dressing room. This is the biggest problem. Either everyone has to act according to his plan or he will leave. This is Hathuru. Nazmul Hasan said that no coach has ever had a problem with Shakib Al Hasan and said, “I don’t think that the coach will have any problem with Tamim and Shakib.”

This year’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) ended with the final between Sylhet Strikers and Comilla Victorians. In the tournament, the country’s batsmen got runs, and fast bowlers and spinners also got wickets. However, it is a matter of regret that this time too the magic of leg-spinners have been seen less in the BPL. The leg-spinner crisis is also a big reason here. However, BCB is going to the field to overcome that crisis.

BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon said at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium on Thursday that David Moore, who was appointed head of the program last month, will now be looking for leg spinners across the country. Papon said, “Leg-spinners are not coming only in the BPL or anything. In recent times, the manager (head of the program) we have taken informed me that they will start hunting all over Bangladesh to find leg spinners. Each district, according to each division. He will try to select some players by looking at himself. Hopefully, I firmly believe that we will have a few boys. ’

Expressing the hope of getting a good leg-spinner within a year, the BCB president said, “We will not get someone who can play for us in the national team right now. If we get guys who have potential if we can give them six months of practice under a good coach. Even after a year, we can get a good leg-spinner. We will try that. ’

The Ireland cricket team will arrive in Bangladesh in March. The Irish will play one Test, three ODIs, and three T20Is against the Tigers. Bangladesh will then travel to Ireland to play three ODIs and four T20Is at the end of April. BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon said on Monday at the Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club ground that the cricketers will not be exempted if the national team is busy.

“The more cricketers go to the IPL, the happier we are. But when Bangladesh’s game is there, no one will be left out. If the national team plays, no one will be able to play. We have already informed the IPL authorities. They have taken these cricketers knowingly. Otherwise, there was a possibility of getting more cricketers. ’

The BCB president also said, “It is definitely very good for us. But we don’t get everyone in every game. There are some cricketers who are very injured. We need to think about them. Will you go to play, then? We can’t play it here. I can’t play a lot of pacers. It will be good, it will be good to play there. Then if you get injured, you will not be able to play in the national team. There is no such thing as going to all the franchises there are. IPL is definitely the best, I have no problem going here. ’

Papon watched the opening match of the tournament with the team players at the team hotel on Saturday. Papon’s anxiety increased after seeing such aggressive batting by Afghanistan against Sri Lanka.

Papan said that he is not afraid of any team, although the impression of thinking on his forehead is clear. The BCB President said to the journalists present, ‘We are not afraid of anyone, this is a big thing. We want to win the first match to be in a good position in the tournament.’

Referring to the great victory of Afghanistan by crushing Sri Lanka by 8 wickets, Papon said, “I have always said that Afghanistan cannot be underestimated. They are very strong in T20. But every one of our players felt strong and confident. I am worried about my team. For our first match against Afghanistan, we are focusing on that. If we want to win this, then we will win with Sri Lanka too, we will win all of them If God wills.”