BCB looking into World Cup debacle

Bangladesh Cricket Board are looking into the Tigers’ disastrous performances and trying to find out the reason as they prepare for their series against Pakistan right after the World Cup.

Bangladesh lost six out of their eight games in the World Cup, including defeats against Scotland, Sri Lanka and West Indies.

A part of Bangladesh’s team returned on Friday without Mushfiqur Rahim and skipper Mahmudullah Riyad. On Saturday, the BCB officials sat in a meeting to discuss the World Cup performances, national team chief selector Minhajul Abedin told the media.

“We sat in a meeting for the first time today. We had a disappointing outing in the World Cup, but still, we have to prepare for the series in no time. We discussed selecting the best team possible. We will pick the team within the next few days,” Minhajul said.

“We sat for the first time today. There will be a holistic discussion on how we can do better in the future. The whole team is being analysed. We will discuss with the team management,” he added.

Minhajul also added that they would have to discuss the matters with head coach Russell Domingo and selector Habibul Bashar, who was with the team, to enquire further.

“We had a poor outing at the World Cup. We have to analyse all that, talk with the selector who was there (Bashar), the coach, and then decide on what we need to do,” the chief selector told the media.

Minhajul also said that they had sketched up a primary squad for the Twenty20 international series against Pakistan.

“We have created a primary squad. We have called up some sources. We will create the final squad for the series within a week,” he said.

According to BCB sources, Under-19 World Cup-winning players Parvez Hossain Emon and Towhid Hridoy are likely to be called up, along with the return of Najmul Hossain Shanto.

Bangladesh had played on heavily spin-friendly wickets against Australia and New Zealand before the World Cup and struggled in the global event where they played on better wickets.

Minhajul said that they will decide on how the wickets will be in the Pakistan series after meeting with the team management.

“We will decide on how the wickets will be after we discuss it with the team management after we know their plans. We cannot decide how the pitches will be before that,” he said.