It can easily be said that Bangladesh cricket team has never after winning the ICC Trophy in 1997 faced such criticism for their performance. One frustration led to another in the past one month and it reached an extreme high after their latest defeat in the Asia Cup against associate members Afghanistan.
The result made the Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan sit in a one-on-one meeting with both national captain Mushfiqur Rahim and head-coach Shane Jurgensen to find a quick solution to the problem.
Batsmen throwing away their wickets at crucial times, few not following the message from the think tank and lack of commitment were amongst the agendas discussed in the meetings. However, other than finding the remedy, the meeting also listed few cricketers whose body languages were not positive.
“It is pretty hard when the things are not going your way on the field. It raises questions. As a team we are yet to play our best cricket. Management can say it as well because they are a part of it. Being a captain the biggest challenge is to perform as a team,” said Mushfiq to the media yesterday.
It was learnt that the BCB president has already asked the national selection panel to make the necessary changes, after the coach and the captain had suggested, in the World Twenty20 squad.
However, cricket experts think it will create more panic in the side which is already suffering for some bold and necessary moves by the board.
Apart from the failure in executing the plans on the field, ‘off-field distractions’ are also taken into consideration. It was reported across the media that the BCB spotted four players for lack of commitment on the field.
“I haven’t heard of the names that were published in the media. As a captain it is alarming for me, because I am not being able to lead the team and for which these names have come up. The mistake is mine and the coach’s. We are trying, but unfortunately, it is not working out,” said Mushfiqur.
Middle order batsman Nasir Hossain is amongst the four cricketers ‘black listed’ for his commitment for the team. Since his debut, Nasir showed how cool and composed he can bat under pressure but since failing in the past two months, the arrow of criticism is mostly towards him.
According to an influential BCB director Nasir is underperforming because of his “other” involvement outside the field. Whatever the involvement is, it should not be of BCB’s interest but when it is a reason behind his contribution to the team, the board does have the right to intervene.
The board’s decision to take issues into account and try to mend it has been taken positively by majority. The team is now likely to be imposed with regulations through a change in the team manager, a manager who is more professional and carries ability to keep things straight and will be there for a long time. But then again time will say how the cricketers, who love to be off limits in some cases, react to the regulations. Being aware of that limitation for the members of the team, even in personal life, is not unique.
