Shawdesh Desk:

In a further shake up after the World Cup, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is likely to change the structure of selection committee during its next meeting on July 27, official said on Tuesday.

The BCB took the move following the recent debacle of Bangladesh A team, which lost the Test series to visiting Afghanistan A team and got a hammering in the first two one-dayers of five-match series.

The tenure of current selection committee, headed by former national captain Minhajul Abedin, ended on June 30 and was supposed to be renewed automatically like the previous years.

But chief selector Minhajul confirmed they were told to wait about the renewal of their contract as they BCB decided to discuss the matter in its next meeting.

Minhajul was expected to travel to Sri Lanka to accompany the national team during the upcoming three-match one-day international series but his tour had been postponed at the last hour.

‘I was told that the Board would discuss about us in the next meeting. Only then we would know if we were continuing,’ Minhajul told New Age.

BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury confirmed the matter would be up for discussion.

‘It will be discussed for sure. But we don’t know if the present selectors will get a fresh contact or a new committee will be formed,’ Nizamuddin said.

It was learnt that a former general secretary, who never played for Bangladesh but played at club level, expressed his interest to head the new selection committee.

He could be joined by some former cricketers Khaled Mashud and Javed Omar replacing Minhajul and other selector Habibul Bashar.

BCB chief executive officer refused to confirm the matter.

‘There are several proposals, but no decision has been made. I am sure the Board will consider all options,’ he said.

The Board was apparently unhappy with A team’s performance against the visiting Afghanistan side, though Minhajul defended their team selection.

‘Actually we had to prepare our National team, BCB XI and A team at the same time,’ he said.

‘We had to divide A team in two parts because one of our teams had to go to Bangalore to play four-day matches.  We thought that the players, who play better in the longer format, would better visit Bangalore because that tournament is a very strong tournament.  We lost badly in that tournament four years ago. They are playing well in that regard,’ he said.

‘We have prepared a good A team for the Afghanistan also.  Four players, who went to Sri Lanka, had been included in the side…it’s difficult to prepare a strong side in this time as so many tournaments have come at once,’ he said.

Minhajul said he was content with his performance in the last three years.

‘If you look at the last year’s performance we have won 52 per cent of the matches. It’s a big achievement. We have improved our ranking,’ he said.

‘We have done well in the longer version too. If I am given another opportunity of course I will do something better,’ added the former skipper.