The Bangladesh Cricket Board emerged from their board meeting at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday with a clutch of significant decisions, headlined by extended captaincy tenures for Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das, and the appointment of former star spinner Mohammad Rafique to the coaching setup.
Miraz and Litton retained at the helm
Mehidy Hasan Miraz will continue as Bangladesh’s ODI captain until 2027, while Litton Das has been handed the T20 captaincy through to the 2028 T20 World Cup. Miraz, who was first appointed to the role in June last year on a one-year contract, earned his extension on the back of consecutive home series victories against West Indies and Pakistan. Litton was rewarded for his role in shaping the T20 side over the past year.
BCB Cricket Operations Chairman Nazmul Abedeen Fahim explained the rationale behind the long-term approach. “With the World Cup approaching, we thought giving Miraz this opportunity would allow him to organise and strengthen the team even better. Miraz has been doing well and has performed strongly. This decision ensures the captains can play a decisive role in shaping and managing the team effectively,” he said.
The BCB also formally approved the newly elected selection panel headed by former captain Habibul Bashar Sumon.
Rafique joins as spin consultant
The BCB moved to address a long-standing gap in their coaching infrastructure by appointing Mohammad Rafique as spin bowling consultant on a one-year contract. The former left-arm spinner’s inclusion was driven by a concern Fahim described as alarming.
“If we count, we have around eight to ten pace bowling coaches. But if we look back, we cannot even find three spin coaches in the country. That is a major concern. Rafique is almost ready-made and can serve this purpose immediately,” Fahim said. He added that the BCB hopes to identify and develop further spin coaching talent alongside Rafique in the coming period.
Beyond the headline appointments, the board covered considerable ground. A new HR policy was approved, and discussions were held around a pension scheme for umpires and players. To resolve the prolonged Dhaka League standoff, the BCB confirmed it will invite all clubs on 8 April in an attempt to bring the competition back to life. The board also expressed interest in hosting an inter-university tournament at the Dhaka University ground, discussed reintroducing an annual player awards night, and floated the possibility of scholarship opportunities abroad for sports journalists. A quarterly sports journal is also planned. The BCB additionally confirmed its willingness to assist the government in any investigation into irregularities within the board.
