Days before the start of the Bangladesh Premier League in Sylhet, Noakhali Express head coach Khaled Mahmud and his players boycotted training on Thursday after the franchise provided just three cricket balls for a full practice session.
The situation escalated when Mahmud and assistant coach Talha Jubair walked out of the session midway, expressing anger and disappointment at what they described as a lack of basic training facilities. Those present at the ground said the limited number of balls made meaningful preparation impossible.
Khaled Mahmud, one of Bangladesh’s most experienced former captains and coaches, did not hide his frustration when speaking to the media afterwards. “I am no longer interested in working in this BPL,” he said, hinting at a breakdown in his relationship with the franchise.
Team sources suggested the incident was the latest flashpoint in an ongoing internal dispute between the franchise ownership and the team management.
The Bangladesh Premier League is due to begin on Sunday, with Noakhali Express scheduled to take part in the Sylhet phase of the competition. At the time of writing, it remains unclear whether the issues would be resolved in time, or whether the team would enter the tournament under a cloud of uncertainty.
