Who is the guardian of Bangladesh Cricket? Is it orphan or there is an institution to care for its wellbeing or welfare? The way all the good works and achievements of Bangladesh cricket is subsiding and falling apart from the recent disappointing, disgusting and diabolic performance of Bangladesh Cricket team give feeling that Bangladesh cricket is really orphan.
No one is there to take accounts or give accounts to anyone. The performance of Bangladesh team is going from bad to worse. Gradually Bangladesh cricket is drifting back to the state of uncertainty. Still no one seems to have much concern. In 2014 Bangladesh has hardly one any international match and the manner they are losing are also disgraceful in many cases. If the trend is not reversed, there will again suggestions of suspending test status soon. In the past greater cricket community of Bangladesh had to stand behind Bangladesh cricket solidly to support its cause. But the persistent poor performance of the team is causing frustrations for all.
One previous president of BCB is now president of ICC, one Bangladeshi is Secretary General of ACC, and BCB has four Bangladesh Captain of the past – Akram Khan, Habibul Bashar, Farukh Ahmed and Minhazul Abedin. What they are doing? We are understood playing is the duty of the players. But what are explanations for the same group of players who proved to be very competitive in 2012 and 2013 have suddenly become so incompetent? Should not BCB be held responsible for the sudden slump of form? What is the development plan of Bangladesh cricket? Is the age group cricket given proper care? Could BCB brand Bangladesh Cricket properly? What was the purpose of organizing BCL when National cricket cannot be organized properly? 
From a point of uncertain future Bangladesh cricket started getting attention from world cricket community for strong performances in ODI and limited version of the game due to commitment of a group of brilliant cricketers and cricket organizers. Bangladesh cricket had to pass through huge challenges, many trials and tribulations in its infancy. But the first generation cricketers and very focused cricket community had commitment, courage and dedication to struggle against all odds to create solid foundation for its cricket.
This writer was deeply involved with first generation Bangladesh Cricket community as player, organizer, writer and enthusiast. This writer witnessed the emergence of second generation Bangladeshi cricketers. We shared the joy and sorrow of Bangladesh cricket. We can still remember how first generation cricketers struggled in early exposure to international cricket. There was some basis for early struggle in 1980s and early 1990s. Our cricketers did not have required facilities or international exposure. Even from 1994 – 2004 Bangladesh cricket team struggled in international arena.
But from 2004 when David Whitmore took over coaching assignment Bangladesh team started turning around. Bangladesh beat a very strong Australia in ODI in England. Players like Ashraful, Akram Khan, Habibul Bashar, Minhazul Abedin, and Mashrafee Mohammad Rafique started earning respect for the tigers. In 2007 Bangladesh beat title aspirant India and South Africa in World Cup. Cricket world started hearing the roar of emerging tigers. Prior to World Cup 2011 Bangladesh white washed a full strength New Zealand team , beat England twice and once in 2011 World cup. By 2012 Bangladesh earned a reputation of a scary ODI team though test performance remained below par. All-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan made Bangladesh proud in becoming number one all-rounder in ODI and test.
Cricket became first preference game in Bangladesh in all count. It created a generation of cricket loving Bangladeshis.
The success of cricket and money flowing like honey attracted honey bees in cricket administration. On wrong advice Bangladesh went for BCL and with it came black money and match fixing mafias. Players’ morale started getting infected. Some players lost focus and evil nexus was created in the cricket arena. A clear confrontation emerged in the cricket community. The unity among cricket community was broken. BCB election process got vitiated. Politically favored persons having very shallow cricket background took over control. Major match fixing scandal in BCL emerged. Player like Ashraful got long term suspension. Suspicions emerged among players. Attitudes of some star players became questionable. Cricket administration did not care to control and administer situation at the early stage. Foreign coaching staff failed to stem the rot. In end 2013 uneasy situation in the dressing room started emerging. Several times the selection of the national team was challenged. Some ordinary players were favored while some genuine players were ignored.
From late 2013 performance started dipping. Bangladesh could not match with strong Sri Lanka after white washing New Zealand again at home and performing well against West Indies. In Asia Cup and T20 World Cup Bangladesh performance reached rock bottom. The players looked panicked and their morale was completely down. Star player Shakib-al-Hasan got suspension for his antics. No one seriously tried to talk with him to change his attitudes and find the real reason behind his objectionable attitudes. Finally Shakib was handed over a major suspension which rather hurt the national team very badly.
The Aussie Coach of Bangladesh complained against unfriendly behavior of BCB director and refused to continue. The situation was tailor made for a home grown coach having admirable cricket background. There were strong suggestions for giving the responsibility to Ex Bangladesh Captain, qualified coach and ACC development officer Aminul Islam Bulbul. But ignoring all good advice on personal initiative of BCB president a very ordinary Sri Lankan coach Chandika Haturasinghe was selected as Bangladesh coach. In a hurriedly arranged ODI series Bangladesh miserably lost to third rated Indian team at home.
Bangladesh team in the ongoing West Indies tour has already lost two matched and the manner in which the team lost raised credibility questions once again. Team selection, match planning and captaincy have been atrocious. The team having quality middle order batmen opted to using four openers, captain having opponent back to the wall at 34/5 opted to set defensive strategy in the first ODI . Young upcoming pace bowler Taskin got dropped in the second ODI when giving him more experience of ODI with World Cup round the corner was more urgent. Bangladesh has already lost ODI series and looking to get white washed. This will seriously affect the performance of the team in the rest of the tour – T20 and test series.
If effective soul searching is not immediately done and issues addressed we are not sure whether Bangladesh can win against Zimbabwe in the home series. We are also getting increasingly scared that Bangladesh may get thoroughly embarrassed in ICC World Cup 2015 if the present declining trend of the team is not reversed soon.
We know Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a cricket enthusiast. For the greater national interest she must start asking questions and set a proper monitoring and evaluation of the performance of BCB. If Bangladesh gets white washed in West Indies BCB must be disbanded and a new BCB must be elected through transparent election process. I would strongly suggest changing the head coach and consider Aminul Islam Bulbul if he accepts the challenge. There has to be accountability in all BCB affairs.
BDST: 1348 HRS, AUG 24, 2014
