Is Bangladesh cricket lacking what Whatmore had in 2007? 

The Bangladesh national team had potential to do a lot better than how their World Cup campaign in India last year eventually turned out.

The changes to playing eleven for games, matchups not being considered and frequent changes to batting line-up throughout the tournament portrayed that team management, coaches, selectors and board officials were not on the same page. 

The 2007 World Cup under Dav Whatmore was one of Bangladesh's high points in an ICC ODI World Cup. Many players came through before the event in the West Indies where the Tigers beat strong opponents like South Africa and India. 

Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore (L) holds up a cricket ball to illustrate a point as his charges look on during a training session at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium on April 21, 2006. Photo: STAR file

Whatmore, who is working as the technical director for Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) franchise Fortune Barishal, talked to The Daily Star yesterday during an interview and talked about the selection panel he had. 

"We had Faruque [Ahmed], Athar [Ali] and [Golam Nowsher] Prince [in the selection panel]. They had good cricket knowledge. They played the game and supported me as well."

Asked if the selection panel worked with complete freedom, he said: "It wasn't hundred percent every time, particularly towards the end of my stint. They had certain views and I had also my views. But by and large, I was lucky to have that group of people."

"Selection committee in any team, in any country, is very, very important. I was lucky enough to have a really good selection committee [with Sri Lanka] before the World Cup in '96. But I've also had experience of difficulties with selection," he added. 

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The veteran Australian coach also mentioned how the team was well supported by the rest. 

"The cricket board also was very supportive. I had a good selection committee, had good support staff, the players and the cricket board," he said. 

Even the World Cup investigation committee is yet to submit the findings of their report on the recent World Cup debacle. What the former national team head coach Whatmore had back in the day is perhaps what's missing in Bangladesh cricket at the moment.