‘Play and Study, Win the Race’, a book co-written by former Bangladesh captain Shahriar Nafees, was unveiled on Saturday at the media centre of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
Co-authored with his friend HM Atif Wafiq, the research-based book explores the importance of balancing sport and education through the experiences of athletes and educators from around the world.
Known primarily as a former cricketer and Bangladesh captain, Nafees has now added another identity to his name: author. He is currently serving as the in-charge of cricket operations at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
Nafees said the idea behind the book was shaped by the reality that only a small percentage of aspiring athletes eventually reach the highest level.
“Out of 100 athletes, perhaps only one reaches the very top level. But what about those who do not? I have tried to highlight how education alongside sport can help them in life,” he said.
“The main objective was to show how important education remains in an athlete’s life alongside sport,” the former Bangladesh captain added.
The former left-handed batter said work on the book began in 2022 and involved extensive research and conversations with athletes and academics.
“It is essentially a research-based book. We have spoken to athletes from different sports,” Nafees said.
He said the authors spoke to Bangladesh national team players, former South Africa fast bowler Allan Donald and former Australia coach Stuart Law, among others. They also spoke to the coach of Cathy Freeman, the 400-metre gold medallist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Rather than focusing on individual personalities, the book brings together stories and information from athletes and academics from different fields.
Nafees said one of the main aims of the book is to change the mindset of parents and young athletes, particularly those who become increasingly focused on sport during their teenage years.
“The main target of this book is actually parents. If they read it, they will see that many leading professors around the world talk about the importance of sport alongside education. At the same time, many international athletes say education is also necessary alongside sport.”
Nafees, who studied at the University of Dhaka while pursuing his cricket career, drew on his own experience of balancing the two.
“My parents always said they would not allow me to play unless I studied. My position was that I had to play, so I had to study at least to some extent,” he said.
That experience now shapes his advice to young athletes. “I tell parents to let their children play. But I tell the children that no matter what they do, if they do not study, life will be very difficult for them in the context of Bangladesh.”
