Tigers playing WC 2019 directly, says Nazmul
BCB renews contract with Haturusingha
Sports Reporter
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon was unfazed by the Sri Lankas desperate bid to appoint Chandika Hathurusingha as their coach, stating that the coach hadnt talked to him in this regard as of now.
Hathurusingha has a lot of contribution in Bangladesh meteoric surge in the last three years for which the BCB rewarded him, extending his deal till the 2019 World Cup. His salary and other facilities were also increased, making him one of the highest paid coaches in the world.
However its not new that the Lankan board offered him for the first time. They indeed wanted him as their coach two years ago also, specially they were going through a transitional period following the retirement of stalwarts like Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
Sri Lanka offered him before. Not only Sri Lanka but also any country can offer him. Recently we have extended his contract till the 2019 World Cup. But we dont know anything more, Papon told the reporters about Hathurusingha while addressing a press conference at his corporate office at BEXIMCO PHARMA in the capital yesterday.
The BCB chief however was fazed about the 2019 World Cup in which he believed Bangladesh are in safe position to make a direct entry, given the vast difference between the Bangladesh and its close contender West Indies.
He nevertheless ruled out any extraordinary incident but said Bangladesh had already started taking preparation for the next world cup. West Indiess situation got worsened after it had lost any chance to win the series against India.
The 50-over World Cup will be held in United Kingdom (UK) in between June-August, 2019 with the participation of the 10 teams. Of them, top eight teams in ICC rankings will get the passport to directly play the World Cup and the rest two teams will progress from the qualifiers.
Bangladesh are now at seventh with 94 points just after Pakistan (95), New Zealand (111), England (113), India (116), Australia (117) and South Africa (119). Sri Lanka (93) and West Indies (77) followed Bangladesh in eighth and ninth respectively.
The cut-off time for the World Cup qualification is September 30, 2017. Within the period, Bangladesh have no possibility of downgrading their position.
Bangladesh need not to play the qualifier of the 2019 World Cup because the first eight teams will play the World Cup directly, said Nazmul Hassan, who returned home abroad yesterday following ICC meeting in London.
On the base of the current ratings and the vast difference between us and our close contender, there is no possibility of playing qualifying round for Bangladesh to go into the World Cup 2019, Papon said.
Bangladesh will next play against top-flight Australia, who fell into muzzy situation with the players contract, which can affect the tour. When asked about Australias arrival in Bangladesh, Hassan said that everything is in right shape according to the plan.
Theyre yet to inform us. We know that theyre coming. So far as we know they will come here and play with us, the BCB boss said.
