Former Bangladesh cricketer and ex-national selector Hannan Sarkar has been appointed head coach of the Bangladesh Under-19 team, while former captain Mahmudullah Riyad will serve as a mentor, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced on Monday.
BCB Media Committee chairman Asif Rabbani said Mahmudullah’s role will not be limited to the U-19 side, as he will also work with other development teams under the board’s pathway programme.
Hannan previously served as a selector for Bangladesh’s youth team and was part of the setup when the country won its first ICC Under-19 World Cup title in 2020. He later became a national selector before stepping down to pursue a coaching career. Last season, he guided Abahani Limited to the Dhaka Premier League title.
Speaking about his appointment, Hannan said coaching had long been one of his ambitions.
“The dream has been there for a long time. I was coaching even before becoming a selector. After nine years in selection, the board’s effort to promote local coaches has given me an opportunity to return and pursue that dream again,” he said.
The rest of the U-19 support staff remains largely unchanged. Mohammad Selim will continue as fielding coach, Dolar Mahmud as pace bowling coach, Saifuddin Ahmed as physiotherapist, Morshed Hasan Caesar as trainer, and Sandeep Kumar Raman as performance analyst.
Meanwhile, Mahmudullah, who has retired from international cricket but continues to play domestic cricket, is also expected to be involved with the Bangladesh High Performance Unit during its upcoming tour of Australia. Former opener Imrul Kayes, who is based in Australia, is also being considered for a role with the coaching group during that tour.
Alongside the coaching appointments, Rabbani announced the launch of an Analytics Centre and CAM Lab aimed at strengthening player development. The facility will house a video database covering players from the Under-14 level through to the national team.
The project will initially be set up at the indoor facility of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur before being expanded to divisional centres across the country in phases. The database will be accessible to coaches, players and BCB management, while designated performance analysts will work with coaches on individual player development.
The centre will also feature AI-based performance analysis. However, a source said the facility will provide semi-biomechanical analysis rather than a full biomechanics setup.
