BCB clueless about Tigers’ insipid show against Afghans

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon had no explanation for the national team's lack of intent in the crunch match against Afghanistan in the ICC T20 World Cup after a board of directors meeting today in Mirpur where the biggest point of discussion was the team's performance at the event.

Chase down 116 inside 12.1 overs and play a semifinal of a World Cup for the first time, this was the equation for Bangladesh in their final Super Eight match against Afghanistan.

The Tigers, quizzically, abandoned that dream midway in their chase, and have essentially became the laughing stock in world cricket.

The BCB, however, were looking at the World Cup performances positively and quite comically, they chose to discuss World Cup performance in a board meeting before even speaking with the coaches, captain and the players and are yet to receive head coach Chandika Hathurusingha's report.

When asked about the team's approach in the Afghanistan game, Papon had no answers, saying, "What can I say about that?"

"When they needed to defend, they attacked and when they needed to attack, they defended," he added.

Papon, however, did not accept captain Najmul Hossain Shanto's explanation that the team stopped trying to win in 12.1 overs after fall of early wickets.

"I heard that the captain said that after three wickets went down, they didn't try. I think that's not acceptable. But when I saw the game, I didn't feel like that," he added.

All in all, it was a bizarre press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium and curiously, this time no investigation committee was formed.

The major outcomes of today's BCB board of directors:

• The Board has approved the tender process and bid document for appointment of an International Contractor for the Sheikh Hasina Stadium Project.
• The Board has approved the Ad-hoc Committees for Regional Cricket Associations of Barishal Division and Khulna Division.
• The Board has approved the BCB High Performance Team's travel to Darwin, Australia from 14 July to 1 August 2024.
• The Board has approved budgets for purchasing ground equipment for Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram and Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
• The Board has approved the new salary structure for the Coaches, Selectors, Trainers, and other support staff under the Game Development Department.
• The Board has also approved the new salary structure for the local curators and groundsmen under the Grounds department.