Cricket

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has appointed Mohammad Salahuddin as the senior assistant coach of the Bangladesh men's cricket team. Salahuddin's contract will run until March 15, 2024, aligning with the tenure of head coach Phil Simmons.Salahuddin's first assignment is expected to be Bangladesh's tour of the West Indies, commencing with a four-day warm-up match in Antigua. He previously served as Bangladesh's assistant and fielding coach under Dav Whatmore and Jamie Siddons. From 2010 to 2011, he worked as a specialist coach in the BCB's national cricket academy before becoming Singapore's head coach in 2014. Salahuddin holds an ACC-Cricket Australia Level 3 accreditation.Despite being widely regarded as one of the foremost cricketing voices in Bangladesh, Salahuddin has had a contentious relationship with the BCB in recent years. In 2017, he was appointed as a batting consultant, but the decision was reversed at the last minute. He has often criticized the board's stance on pitches and selection.However, Salahuddin is highly respected by most players in Bangladesh. He played a pivotal role in the development of Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal during their formative years. He has also been influential in the growth of current cricketers like Jaker Ali and Mahidul Islam Ankon.BCB president Faruque Ahmed expressed his confidence in Salahuddin's abilities. "Salahuddin brings with him a wealth of experience, pedigree, and knowledge, making him the ideal candidate for this role," Ahmed said. "I firmly believe it is time to integrate more capable Bangladeshi coaches into the system."Salahuddin's appointment is a significant step towards the BCB's goal of promoting local coaches. It is expected that he will play a crucial role in the development and success of the Bangladesh men's cricket team.

Bangladesh cricket is experiencing a tumultuous period, but newly appointed head coach Phil Simmons is determined to keep the focus on the upcoming Test series against South Africa.Simmons, who replaced Chandika Hathurusinghe on Tuesday, faces a challenging task. Shakib Al Hasan, the team's star all-rounder, has withdrawn from the Test side due to ongoing protests against him. Additionally, Hathurusinghe has publicly criticized the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) since his dismissal.Despite these distractions, Simmons is adamant about maintaining the team's concentration on the cricket. "Our job is to keep the players focused on the cricket and not on the outside noise," he said. "We can control how we prepare for Monday, and that's how we're trying to get the team to focus."Simmons brings a wealth of coaching experience to the role, having worked with several international teams and T20 franchises. He believes his past experiences will be invaluable in preparing Bangladesh for the Test series."Afghanistan helped me with the language barrier sometimes. Ireland helped me with developing young players. It all comes in handy at the end of the day," he said.Simmons has been impressed by the young players in the Bangladesh squad, particularly their performance in the recent Test series win against Pakistan. He believes they have the potential to beat South Africa, who have not won a Test series in the subcontinent in the last ten years."Bangladesh are usually very strong at home. So it is a very good opportunity for us to win the Test series," Simmons said. "South Africa has that record hanging over their head, but they are a resilient team. They will work hard to change that."Simmons is confident in Bangladesh's chances, but he is also wary of taking South Africa lightly. He believes the team must prepare thoroughly and execute their plans effectively to achieve success.

Bangladesh's Khaled Ahmed Omitted from Test Squad for South Africa SeriesFast bowler Khaled Ahmed has been excluded from Bangladesh's squad for the upcoming first Test against South Africa, scheduled to commence on October 21 in Mirpur. This marks the sole alteration to the 16-man contingent that toured India in September and October.Ahmed featured in only the second Test against India in Kanpur, where he bowled four overs in the first innings, conceding 43 runs without claiming a wicket. Bangladesh will host South Africa for two Tests, with the second match taking place in Chattogram from October 29.This series marks the first assignment under interim coach Phil Simmons, who joined the squad on Wednesday following the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) decision to remove Chandika Hathurusinghe from the position due to disciplinary reasons.Bangladesh currently occupies the seventh position in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table, having secured a 2-0 victory in Pakistan and suffered a 2-0 defeat in India. South Africa, on the other hand, stands fifth in the WTC standings, having recently emerged victorious in a two-Test series against the West Indies in August.Bangladesh Squad for First Test against South Africa:* Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain)* Shadman Islam* Mahmudul Hasan Joy* Zakir Hasan* Mominul Haque* Mushfiqur Rahim* Shakib Al Hasan* Litton Das* Jaker Ali* Mehidy Hasan* Taijul Islam* Nayeem Hasan* Taskin Ahmed* Hasan Mahmud* Nahid Rana

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has suspended head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe for disciplinary reasons. The suspension, effective immediately, will last for 48 hours, after which Hathurusinghe will be "terminated immediately." Phil Simmons will assume the role of interim head coach until the 2025 Champions Trophy.Hathurusinghe's second stint as Bangladesh coach began in February 2022, eliciting mixed reactions from former captains, including current BCB president Faruque Ahmed, who questioned the decision to reappoint him.Under Hathurusinghe's leadership, Bangladesh's performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup were underwhelming. However, he guided the team to a historic 2-0 Test series victory against Pakistan in Pakistan, their first overseas Test series win in 15 years.Despite this achievement, Bangladesh's subsequent tour of India resulted in a 2-0 Test series loss and a 3-0 T20I series loss, including a record-breaking defeat in the third match.Hathurusinghe's suspension comes amid growing criticism of his coaching methods and the team's recent performances. The BCB has not yet disclosed the specific disciplinary grounds for his suspension.

Phil Simmons, the former West Indies coach who guided the team to the 2016 T20 World Cup title, has joined Papua New Guinea (PNG) as a 'specialist coach' ahead of the 2024 edition of the tournament.Simmons' appointment comes after his second stint as West Indies coach ended following their group-stage elimination at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. Since then, he has worked extensively in franchise cricket, coaching Trinbago Knight Riders, LA Knight Riders, and Karachi Kings.In his new role, Simmons will support head coach Tatenda Taibu, the former Zimbabwe wicketkeeper. Cricket PNG stated that Simmons was recruited due to his extensive experience of local conditions."My role here is as a consultant coach and [will be about] how I put across my experience, not just playing in World Cups but playing in the Caribbean and the things that we should be looking at to make sure we do it right in the Caribbean and especially the venues that we play at," Simmons said."As a player internationally, for fourteen years and then as an international coach for eighteen years, it's been a long time in the game. It's always brilliant to come home, always brilliant to come back to any part of the West Indies. You know how beautiful it is here. I'm looking forward to getting home, which is Trinidad."PNG arrived in St Kitts last week after a four-day journey from Port Moresby. They will train and play various unofficial warm-up matches before facing Oman and Namibia in official warm-up fixtures in Trinidad and Tobago next week.They have been drawn in Group C of the World Cup itself. They will face co-hosts West Indies in their opening match in Guyana on June 2, then play Uganda four days later at the same venue. They will then travel back to Trinidad to face Afghanistan on June 14 and New Zealand on June 17.Simmons praised the energy and enthusiasm of the PNG team. "Their energy is unbelievable: their warm-up alone yesterday got me tired. The guys look like they have settled in really well… I've known the head coach for a long time and he's always energetic. There is always a lot of energy, but the players seem to be pushing him where that is not so, and I like that atmosphere in the team."Batter Assad Vala will lead PNG, who will be playing their second T20 World Cup, after a winless campaign in 2021.