The Bangladesh Cricket Board has expressed deep sorrow at the death of coach Mahbub Ali Zaki. He passed away on Saturday in Sylhet at the age of 59.
Zaki was serving as the specialist pace bowling coach of the BCB Game Development unit. He was also the assistant coach of Dhaka Capitals in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League.
He fell ill at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium ahead of the BPL match against Rajshahi Warriors. He was taken to hospital immediately, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Mahbub Ali Zaki was a former fast bowler. He represented Comilla District in the National Cricket Championship. He also played in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League for leading clubs such as Abahani and Dhanmondi.
After his playing career, Zaki moved into coaching. He joined the BCB in 2008 as a High Performance coach. He later became a key figure in pace bowling development in Bangladesh.
He also served as the pace bowling coach of the Bangladesh Under-19 team that won the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2020. His role in that historic triumph remains one of his most notable contributions.
In a press release, the BCB extended its heartfelt condolences to Zaki’s family, friends, and the cricketing community. The board also prayed for the eternal peace of his soul.
Mahbub Ali Zaki will be remembered for his service to Bangladesh cricket, both as a player and as a coach.
