Bangladesh Cricket Board director Khaled Mahmud criticized all-rounder Shakib al Hasan for his "unprofessional" behavior towards the Bangladesh cricket team.
Mahmud, who is also the national team director, said he doesn’t care if Shakib is playing or not in the upcoming tour of South Africa.
The reaction from former Bangladesh captain Mahmud came a day after BCB president Nazmul Hasan lambasted Shakib through statements in media.
The latest issue between Shakib and the BCB was triggered after the cricketer out of the blue announced in the media his intention to take a break from international cricket, putting into doubt his availability for the tour of South Africa, despite the fact that he has already been named in the squads.
Bangladesh Test and ODI team are scheduled to depart Dhaka for the African nation Friday night.
Shakib made the revelation to the media at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital Sunday before travelling to Dubai for a commercial engagement trip.
The all-rounder cited mental and physical fatigue as reasons for the break.
Mahmud while speaking to the media came down hard on Shakib’s tendency of taking breaks often from the national team.
“We all knew that he [Shakib] will play the Tests and the ODIs [in South Africa]. He had initially given a letter saying he won’t play and that had changed after [not getting an IPL T20 team] and speaking to the BCB president. Now he has changed his mind again,” said Mahmud at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Tuesday.
Mahmud emphasized on the trouble the national selection panel and the team management have to go through for sudden changes of mind – particularly from the senior cricketers – with their availability for the national team.
“It is of course a trouble [for the selection] when payers like Shakib-Tamim [Iqbal] do not play. We have to prepare someone else to take their places. What happens to the player when say Shakib is back? This of course disrupts in having a continuity with the team selection. I don’t care if he [Shakib] doesn’t want to play Tests. BCB is also not concerned,” said Mahmud.
Mahmud is literally annoyed with Shakib revealing such a decision just a week ahead of the team’s departure.
The ex-Bangladesh cricketer strongly believes it is now time to put a full-stop to such cases.
“It is time to put full-stop. Enough is enough. You [players] cannot run the board. A player cannot suddenly say he doesn’t want to play. They have to do the job properly and be clear if they do not want to play. They should take rest for good if they are looking for a break. No one will stop him. BCB president had also intended to say it this way but he might have sounded soft and I am sounding sturdy,” said Mahmud.
Shakib had taken two days to make a decision for the tour of South Africa after speaking to BCB cricket operations committee chairman Jalal Younus.
Mahmud however, believes the ultimate decision on the matter is for the BCB to take.
“Of course, the final decision will come from the BCB. They (players) are products of the BCB, the board is not their product. The board is not for an individual. They are one of the chief stakeholders of Bangladesh cricket but they should understand the investment the board has put on them. They have been prepared though the age-level cricket, isn’t it? BCB is their guardian, no one is above the board,” Mahmud concluded.
