Hathurusingha refuses to write off Mahmudullah

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha has backed the experienced Mahmudullah Riyad, saying that the 37-year-old all-rounder is still in his plans. 

The Bangladesh Cricket Board selectors asserted that Mahmudullah being dropped from the ODI squad was just a case of giving the player some rest. They further added that they wanted to try out a few players for specific positions before the World Cup in India later this year.

Questions were raised about the 37-year-old being left out of the ODI squad as he has had a dismal run with the bat in recent times and has often been a liability on the field.

But Hathuruisingha has assured that Mahmudullah's exclusion is not a case of pushing him out of the national fold and that the all-rounder is still very much in BCB's plans. The Sri Lankan pointed out that there was a need to give a few players exposure to international cricket with the World Cup in mind. 

"Riyad has done enough. He has a lot of experience. We know what he can bring. We want some other players to get up to the mark at the international level. Not just skill-wise. It is about seeing whether they have the character to do the (role) at this level. It doesn't mean that if that guy performs well, Mahmudullah is finished. He is still in our plans," he told the reporters Friday.