DHAKA, Oct 12, 2019 (BSS)-While the local coaches remained frustrated over
not getting the chance to coach team in the special edition of BPL, titled as
Bangbandhu Premier League, as the main coach, cricket operations chairman
Akram Khan gave them a glimpse of hope, saying that they still have the
chance to guide the teams.
Akram Khan’s comment came two days after BCB formally stated that local
coaches can only assist the foreign coaches in the upcoming edition of BPL.
BCB director Mahbub Anan recently stated that in the upcoming BPL each
team will have one director leading the sides while he added that they have
got good amount of foreign coaches interested to be part of BPL.
He also added that each team will have an overseas physiotherapist and
trainer and local coaches can only work as assistants to the head coaches in
the upcoming edition.
The decision was widely criticized as it was believed to be an act that
will discourage the local coaches. Akram said that everything is not over as
far as local coaches are concerned as they will take a decision regarding the
local coaches in the upcoming meeting of BPL governing council.
”There is nothing like that [local coaches cannot be head coach in the
upcoming BPL,” Akram said here on Saturday.
”Those who have done well can certainly have a chance. It will be decided
after the meeting,” he said. As a head coach, Bangladesh’s Mohammad
Salahuddin have won BPL twice while Khaled Mahmud have won it. Foreign coach
Ian Pont won it twice and Tom Moody earned it once so far.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh local coaches expressed their frustration at the BCB
for not allowing local coaches take the helm of a team in the upcoming
Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League.
”This decision implies that we do not have enough quality coaches in our
country but this is not true,” said Nazmul Abedin, who had recently left BCB
to join BKSP.
”I do not know the logic behind these decisions. In the last couple of
BPL, teams of local coaches have done really well and local coaches have made
champions,” he said.
Former national head coach Sarowar Imran also expressed his frustration.
”Local coaches have done really well in BPL. I have played a final with a
bad team in 2012 when Barisal Burners lost to Dhaka in the final. In 2016
Rajshahi Kings played final with a normal side and we lost to Dhaka,” he
said.
Akram said that the local coaches will get the chance according to their
merit and their performance in the last six editions of the BPL.
“There is nothing to be frustrated. We want to increase the standard of
BPL and therefore the local coaches would have to come here based on their
merit. We’ll scrutinize their performance and according to that we’ll take
decision,” he concluded.