Bangladesh Cricket Board selection committee set for complete overhaul

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) selection committee led by Minhajul Abedin Nannu is set to change following poor results by Bangladesh in the recently concluded ICC World Cup.

BCB president Nazmul Hassan, who came to give awards during the annual exhibition cricket match organised on the occasion of Victory Day at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, confirmed the matter on Saturday. 

He feels that there is a need for change in the committee that has been serving for a long time. However, the BCB chief cautioned that no one should be excluded with false accusations.

The current head of the selection committee is Minhajul Abedin while former national team captain Habibul Bashar and former spinner Abdur Razzak are serving as selectors. The term of this committee ends on 31 December and BCB plans to revamp the selection committee in the new year. However, the BCB president said that the performance of this selection committee has nothing to do with the change.

The new BCB selectors do not have to be a former cricketer. Anyone working with cricket can apply. In response to the question of whether a former cricketer should be a selector, Nazmul said, "There is nothing like that."

"The selection panel is subject to change. It is a normal process. It's been a long time. Change is always good. But to exclude someone by blaming, to exclude by false slander - it will set a very bad example," Nazmul explained.

Former captain Mohammad Ashraful is interested in becoming a selector according to various rumours. On that matter, Nazmul said, "We have a committee that will propose names to us. They will see who is interested and what their (committee) preferences are. It will be discussed on the board. From there we will select. Who will be, who will come, it is very difficult to say at the moment. But if anyone wants to, they can apply."

The BCB president said that the new selection committee will be finalised during the Bangladesh Premier League.

Minhajul Abedin and Habibul Bashar have been serving as selectors since 2011 while Razzak got a place in the selection committee in 2021.