Bangladesh national cricket team director Khaled Mahmud said he is not in the position to be involved in any decision-making as team director like the past, and that he is not enjoying his role in this World Cup.
Mahmud, the former Bangladesh captain, has been the team's director in many tours before where he had some important roles regarding part of team selection and other decision-making processes.
But Mahmud is only looking after the disciplinary matters of the squad this time around.
“I am trying to perform the role that Bangladesh Cricket Board has given me in this World Cup. Yes, previously I had some more specific roles as a team director, like I was also part of the selection process or in decision-making. But this time, with this team, I don’t have that kind of role anymore,” said Mahmud to the media in New Delhi Friday.
“Of course, I am worried about the team. But I am not in a position to make a decision. I have been told how far I can go.
"I don’t want to be like this. Cricket is in my blood and I am also involved in coaching which is my profession. Although I am not the head coach or any kind of coach in this team, but as a technical person I can contribute more for the team. I even had a role in the last Twenty20 World Cup where I had discussed with the players individually when it required. But this time I am avoiding this.
“Definitely, I am not enjoying it. I don’t want to be a person who will just roam around in the tour and be like a guardian and just keep an eye on discipline. To be honest, that is not my type of work. That is actually part of my work, but I also took care of cricketing matters previously. Which is not the same this time. I wouldn't have come if I had known before the World Cup that I would be given this kind of limited role.”
Mahmud also said playing on traditionally low and slow pitches in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium just before the World Cup was not the right decision and the series should have instead been played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong or Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, which are known for more batting-friendly wickets.
"We shouldn't have played in Mirpur right before the World Cup against New Zealand. If I was in a decision-making role, I would've played the series in Chittagong or Sylhet," the team director added.
He also added that the experiments the team management had done with the batting order just before the world event or even in the World Cup were not right timing either.
Meanwhile, opening batter Liton Das joined the team Friday after his short leave.
Liton returned to Dhaka last Wednesday for personal reasons.
Bangladesh team have a scheduled practice session at Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium Saturday although the pollution has risen to “severe category” in many parts of the Indian capital.
