London:Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided to part ways with head coach Steve Rhodes before the completion of his tenure following the team’s eighth-place finish in the World Cup.
Bangladesh finished well out of the top-four but won hearts with their spirited display that saw them pick up memorable wins over South Africa and West Indies. Shakib Al Hasan was on a roll with both bat and ball, scoring 606 runs at 86.57 besides picking up 11 wickets. This tournament was about more than one man though. Wicketkeeper/bat Mushfiqur Rahim showed himself to be a white-ball batsman of some class, his runs coming at an average of over 50, while Liton Das’ match-sealing 94* against West Indies will live long in the memory.
With the ball, Mustafizur Rahman enjoyed a breakout campaign – finishing with consecutive five-wicket hauls and 20 wickets to his name – Mohammad Saifuddin claimed 13 wickets, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz was consistently economical. “The board had a review following the Pakistan match (Bangladesh’s last at the World Cup) in a meeting in London,” BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury was quoted as saying by the ESPNcricinfo.
“There it was decided that the BCB and Steve Rhodes will not continue on their agreement. The separation was by mutual consent. The BCB has not yet decided on a new coach for the Sri Lanka series, which is their next assignment,” he added. Rhodes was on a two-year contract after taking charge of the team in June last year.
Bangladesh’s next assignment is a three-match ODI in Sri Lanka later this month and will be travelling without most of their support staff which helped them in the World Cup.
The contracts of fast-bowling coach Courtney Walsh and spin coach Sunil Joshi have also not been extended. West Indies great Walsh joined the team in August 2016 and former India spinner Joshi in August 2017. (PTI)
