Newly appointed Bangladesh selection committee chairman Habibul Bashar said that he would not budge an inch from his decisions based on external criticism. He also opined on the return of former Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan to the team and his plans regarding the veteran.
Habibul Bashar was appointed the new head of the national selection panel on Tuesday. He replaced Ashraf as the head of the selection panel, and he insisted that he was not yet ready to defer to external pressure and decision-making.
He was formerly in the Bangladesh selection panel between 2011 and 2024, under chief selectors Faruque Ahmed, Akram Khan, and Minhajul Abedin, respectively. BCB on the 23rd announced that the former captain would now be leading the revamped selection panel.
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“….when it comes to my judgments, I will do what my heart says” – Habibul Bashar
The former Bangladesh captain said that he will always be listening to his heart and will be making decisions based on his judgment. No external pressure or criticism would affect him in the long run.
“I know I won’t be right all the time, as I am human and can make errors. But when it comes to my judgments, I will do what my heart says. If I have to hear words [criticism] for it, I am willing to take it, and I have taken the job after accepting that among 10 people, five will call me right and five will call me wrong,” Bashar told reporters during his first official press conference after taking over the hot seat at SBNS on Tuesday.
“Whether it is being trolled or being criticized by the press, I am not bothered about it. I went through all this when I was the captain, and my main job is to work with the team, and it won’t be hampered by anyone’s writing,” he added.
“Definitely, if we are thinking about Shakib Al Hasan, we will think in the long-term,” said Bashar
Though Bashar is yet to take over the duties from next month, he could not escape the inevitable question surrounding former Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan. However, he clarified that Bashar would be considering Shakib Al Hasan for the long run.
“There is not much time left before the New Zealand series, and I am not sure how much cricket Shakib has been involved with. From what I know about him, he is not a guy who will come tomorrow and play the day after. He needs preparation, too. It’s not a place of emotion. Definitely, if we are thinking about Shakib, we will think in the long term,” Bashar said.
He further added that Shakib Al Hasan would not play a single series and leave; instead, if he comes back into the team, he should prepare himself for a longer time. However, he clarified that he is definitely in the plans.
“Many talk about retirement; for instance, we have seen talks of Mushfiqur Rahim’s retirement. I have said that the longer they play, the better for us. The more we can include them, the better for the side. And when we pick them, it’s not so that they can come and retire. I want him for the longer term, at least to have that plan where he can play the 2027 World Cup. So my plans are not for one series,” he added.
Habibul Bashar revealed direct qualification into the 2027 WC as their prime focus
Bashar also added that his primary focus would be securing Bangladesh’s direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup. They are currently in the 9th spot and will aim to climb to the 8th spot at least before the cut-off date to ensure automatic qualification for the marquee event.
“I mean, our first target is to qualify directly. That is the primary target. But more important than that is that we are consistent in performance. Whether in team selection or in our performance, this will be a big focus definitely,” he said.
“And since there are many matches this year, I think we have to work with a larger group. Back-to-back series are there. So we have to expand the players’ pool a bit more. Everyone should do well. If outside the 14-15 squad, there are maybe 10 or 15 more players; working with this group is very important. If we can prepare this group very well, then I think we will not have problems,” he concluded.
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