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| March 9, 2003 | Sunday | Muharram 5, 1424 |
Bangladesh hunt for new coach: Mohsin Kamal axed
DHAKA, March 8: Bangladesh is looking for a new coach for the national cricket team after their dismal performance at the World Cup, a top cricket official said on Saturday.
“We are looking for a new coach. We will get the best coach, money is no problem,” Ali Asghar Loby, president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, told reporters on Saturday.
Bangladesh’s current coach, Mohsin Kamal of Pakistan, has come under fire from fans, officials and the media after the newest Test-playing nation failed to win any matches at the World Cup in South Africa. The team returned home Wednesday to a quiet reception.
Loby would not say who Mohsin’s replacement might be, but hinted that a new face could be in place by May. He also declined to comment directly on recent media reports suggesting Mohsin would be asked to quit before his one-year contract expires on April 30.
“We have contacted and are in discussion with some potential candidates. We will know soon, perhaps as early as May,” Loby said.
Loby also said that a two-member committee would start investigating the national team’s World Cup performance starting on Sunday. The inquiry committee, announced on Thursday, includes a former Bangladesh Cricket Board head Mojibur Rahman and a retired bureaucrat, Syed Shamim Ahsan.
“They will talk to everyone and find out what went wrong,” said Loby.
He blamed the players’ lack of commitment for the World Cup debacle.
Bangladesh began the Cup with a shock 60-run defeat at the hands of lightly regarded Canada, and ended the tournament with a 32-run loss to Kenya, Bangladesh’s 29th defeat in limited over internationals.
Bangladesh would probably have lost all their six matches but for a rain-forced tie with the West Indies.
Bangladesh have lost 15 of their 16 Tests since gaining Test status in 2000. The other match was a rain-affected draw.
Cricket is the second-most popular sport in Bangladesh after soccer.—APP/AP
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