DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced on Tuesday the appointment of former Pakistan leg-spinner and World Cup winner, Mushtaq Ahmed, as the spin-bowling coach for the men’s national cricket team.
Mushtaq is set to join the Bangladesh squad ahead of a preparatory training camp for the upcoming five-match Twenty20 International series against Zimbabwe next month. He will continue to work with the Bangladesh team until the conclusion of the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in the West Indies and the United States.
The decision to bring Mushtaq on board comes after Bangladesh sought a replacement for former spin-bowling coach Rangana Herath of Sri Lanka, who departed from the role in November. During interim periods, local coach Sohel Islam stepped in during Bangladesh’s recent series against Sri Lanka.
Having served as a spin coach for various international teams, Mushtaq brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He previously held coaching positions with England from 2008 to 2014, the West Indies in 2018-19, and Pakistan from 2020 to 2022. Additionally, he served as Pakistan’s bowling consultant from 2014 to 2016.
Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity, 53-year-old Mushtaq stated, “It is a great honor for me to be a part of the Bangladesh cricket team as a spin-bowling coach.” He expressed enthusiasm about the role and highlighted his intention to share his expertise with the players.
“I am looking forward to the role and want to pass my experience to the players because they are very coachable, and I always believe that they are one of the most dangerous teams around,” Mushtaq added. “They can beat anyone because they have the capability, the resources, and the talent. I will try to instill that belief into them.”
Bangladesh’s upcoming cricketing schedule includes hosting Zimbabwe for a five-match T20 series from May 3 to 12. Subsequently, the team will travel to the United States for a three-match series against the hosts before competing in the T20 World Cup.
