Stewardship Over Stardom: Why Aminul Islam’s Leadership Could Redefine Bangladesh Cricket

For much of Bangladesh cricket’s modern history, leadership has oscillated between administrative power and political influence. Rarely has it been shaped by deep cricketing literacy combined with institutional experience. The rise of Aminul Islam as President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) represents a potentially transformative shift, not simply because of who he is, but because of what he represents.

At a time when Bangladesh cricket is navigating both global power politics and domestic structural fragility, Aminul’s leadership offers something the board has historically lacked: credibility across dressing rooms, governance corridors, and international cricket diplomacy.

This is not nostalgia for a former player. It is a case study in why technically informed leadership matters in modern sport governance.

From Pioneer to Rebuilder: The Symbolism Matters

Aminul Islam belongs to the generation that built Bangladesh cricket when it barely existed. In an era when football dominated national imagination and cricket funding was almost nonexistent, players like him carried the sport on passion alone.

His Test century in Bangladesh’s inaugural Test was not just a statistical milestone, it was psychological nation-building. It told a young cricket nation that it belonged at the highest level.

That historical legitimacy now translates into administrative capital. Unlike many career administrators, Aminul understands the emotional economy of Bangladesh cricket — the fragile relationship between expectation, pressure, and identity.

And in a country where cricket is not just sport but national expression, that matters.

The Administrator Who Understands Systems, Not Just Scorecards

Perhaps the strongest argument for Aminul’s presidency is his systemic worldview.

His diagnosis of Bangladesh cricket’s long-standing weaknesses is brutally honest:

• No consistent selection philosophy

• Weak domestic-to-international transition pipeline

• Decades-long stagnation in advanced coaching education

• Dhaka-centric administrative power concentration

• Poor first-class infrastructure and wicket quality

Rather than chasing short-term ranking targets, his focus on ecosystem rebuilding signals strategic maturity. Modern cricket success is not produced by talent alone, it is produced by systems that allow talent to mature.

The launch of Level-3 coaching programs after nearly two decades of absence is not headline news. But it is the kind of reform that changes national team performance five to ten years later.

That is long-term governance thinking, something Bangladesh cricket has historically struggled to sustain.

The “Triple Century” Vision: A Governance Charter, Not a Slogan

The Triple Century Programme represents perhaps the first attempt to create a unified philosophical roadmap for Bangladesh cricket.

Its pillars, protecting the spirit of the game, performance excellence, national cricket connectivity, and institutional modernization, are less about branding and more about structural alignment.

The most radical component is decentralization.

For decades, Bangladesh cricket functioned as a Dhaka command economy. Talent identification, selection influence, league structures, all radiated from a single administrative center.

Aminul’s push to create divisional cricket leadership, regional selection pathways, and local cricket offices is not just administrative reform. It is democratization of cricket opportunity.

In cricketing terms, decentralization means survival.

Moral Authority in a Politicized Cricket Environment

One of the most striking aspects of Aminul’s presidency is personal sacrifice. By openly stating he draws no salary and is funding parts of his own travel, he is reframing the moral psychology of cricket administration.

In a system historically criticized for patronage networks, that symbolic break matters.

It creates narrative contrast: Not power for privilege.

Power for stewardship.

In sports governance, perception often drives institutional trust as much as policy.

The Diplomatic Operator: The 2026 Crisis as Leadership Test

The T20 World Cup crisis may ultimately be remembered as the first major stress test of his presidency.

Reports suggest Bangladesh moved from potential sanctions territory to:

• Zero penalties

• Preserved ICC revenue share

• Secured future ICC event hosting window

• Expanded international match hosting opportunities

More importantly, Bangladesh positioned itself as a stabilizing diplomatic actor rather than a reactive participant.

Aminul’s international exposure through ICC and ACC appears to have translated into negotiation literacy, understanding how global cricket power actually functions beyond public statements.

This is modern cricket geopolitics: quiet leverage, not loud confrontation.

Restoring Cricket Culture: The Soft Power Battle

Perhaps his most underrated focus is cultural restoration.

His repeated concern that domestic achievements and emerging players are ignored by media signals a deeper worry: Bangladesh is losing its cricket narrative identity.

If fans only engage with controversy and not cricketing excellence, talent pathways eventually weaken.

Reviving cricket culture, school cricket, madrasa cricket, district leagues, club participation is not nostalgia. It is pipeline security.

Every major cricket nation that declined structurally first lost its grassroots competitive culture.

The Risk: Long-Term Vision vs Short-Term Public Patience

The greatest challenge Aminqul faces is not structural. It is psychological.

Bangladesh cricket culture is conditioned toward immediate performance validation. But systemic rebuilds rarely show visible success inside one election cycle.

If his governance model survives the pressure of short-term results politics, Bangladesh cricket could emerge structurally stronger by the early 2030s.

If not, the cycle of partial reform and reset will continue.

The Strategic Significance: Why This Presidency Matters Beyond Bangladesh

If successful, Aminul’s model could become a blueprint for mid-tier cricket nations:

- Former elite player

- Global governance experience

- Systems-first reform strategy

- Moral credibility narrative

- Regional diplomatic awareness

- That combination is rare in global cricket administration.

The Verdict: Leadership as Trust, Not Authority

Aminul Islam’s greatest strength may not be policy, diplomacy, or cricketing pedigree individually.

It is trust.

Trust from players, because he has lived their reality.

Trust from international bodies , because he speaks governance language.

Trust from fans, because he represents cricket before power.

Bangladesh cricket does not just need modernization.

It needs legitimacy in how modernization happens.

If his reforms take root, Aminul Islam may not just be remembered as Bangladesh’s first Test centurion.

He may be remembered as the architect of Bangladesh cricket’s second founding.

Thank You 

Faisal Caesar 

The South Asian Pivot: How Bangladesh and Pakistan Outmaneuvered Cricket’s Power Axis

For nearly two decades, global cricket’s power map has been drawn along a predictable axis: India for money, Dubai for governance. The financial dominance of India’s cricket economy, combined with the ICC’s structural dependence on Indian broadcast revenue, has created an ecosystem where most boards operate within quiet constraints. Compliance has often been safer than confrontation.

But the fallout from the 2026 T20 World Cup standoff may mark the first credible disruption of that order. In what increasingly looks like a calculated geopolitical play rather than a reactive boycott, Bangladesh and Pakistan demonstrated that financial power is not the same as strategic leverage.

This was not just resistance. It was maneuver warfare.

The “No-Penalty” Doctrine: Bangladesh’s Strategic Breakthrough

Bangladesh’s refusal to travel to India could, under traditional ICC logic, have triggered a cascade of punishment, fines, funding cuts, or even temporary isolation from ICC revenue pools. Instead, something unprecedented happened: nothing.

- No fines.

- No administrative sanctions.

Full tournament payments despite non-participation.

That outcome matters far beyond one tournament. It establishes a soft but powerful precedent, that sovereign or security-linked decisions can override purely commercial participation obligations.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board did not simply avoid punishment; it reshaped the language of enforcement. By pushing the ICC toward “facilitative support” rather than disciplinary action, Bangladesh effectively carved out a diplomatic escape hatch for member boards operating under government directives.

In a sport where commercial commitments have often trumped political realities, this was a structural shift.

Pakistan’s Financial Checkmate

If Bangladesh created the opening, Pakistan executed the decisive move.

By quietly linking their participation, especially in the India–Pakistan fixture, to Bangladesh’s treatment, Pakistan forced the ICC to confront an uncomfortable truth: the global tournament economy is not built only on Indian cricket. It is built on Indian rivalries.

The India–Pakistan match is not just another game. It is the tournament’s financial spine. Remove it, and the broadcast model fractures.

The estimated threat, roughly ₹2000 crore in projected losses, was not theoretical. Broadcasters, sponsors, and advertisers structure entire campaign cycles around that single fixture.

Pakistan understood something crucial:

Power in cricket is not only about who generates the most money.

It is about who can withdraw the most money from the system.

That is leverage. And it worked.

The symbolic image of senior ICC leadership travelling to Lahore to negotiate signaled something deeper than crisis management. It suggested recognition, however reluctant, that Pakistan remains a central power broker when it chooses to assert itself.

Turning Exclusion into Strategic Gain: The Hosting Dividend

Perhaps the most tangible outcome of this standoff is the reported commitment to allocate Bangladesh a standalone ICC event before the 2031 ODI World Cup cycle.

If this holds, it represents a quiet institutional bypass of the traditional bidding hierarchy. Normally, hosting rights are fought over through multi-year lobbying, infrastructure audits, and political negotiation.

Bangladesh appears to have achieved through leverage what others pursue through process.

From a strategic standpoint, hosting rights are not just about matches. They are about:

• Stadium modernization

• Government investment flows

• Tourism branding

• Long-term integration into global scheduling priority

In effect, Bangladesh converted short-term exclusion into long-term structural inclusion.

That is textbook strategic negotiation.

The Rise of South Asian Bloc Politics in Cricket

The most overlooked element of this episode is regional coordination.

With Pakistan applying financial pressure and Sri Lanka playing mediator, the dispute briefly resembled a coordinated South Asian negotiating bloc. Historically, South Asian cricket has been fragmented by bilateral tensions and competing economic interests.

This time, history, including memories of regional solidarity moments like the 1996 World Cup, appears to have been leveraged as diplomatic capital.

The message was subtle but unmistakable:

If India is the market, the rest of South Asia is still the ecosystem.

And ecosystems can resist monopolies.

The New Power Equation: Market Size vs Collective Leverage

The biggest myth this episode challenges is the idea that cricket’s hierarchy is permanently fixed.

Yes, India remains the financial epicenter. That is unlikely to change. But financial centrality does not automatically translate into uncontested political control, especially when other boards act in coordinated fashion and target structural vulnerabilities in tournament economics.

What Bangladesh and Pakistan demonstrated is that:

• Participation is leverage.

• Rivalries are currency.

• Collective positioning can offset financial asymmetry.

This is not the collapse of cricket’s old order. But it may be the beginning of a negotiated order.

The Verdict: A Psychological Shift More Than an Institutional One

Institutions change slowly. Power perceptions change quickly.

And perception often precedes structural change.

The ICC and BCCI still hold enormous influence. But for the first time in years, two other boards showed they can force the system to adjust, not through rhetoric, but through calculated risk.

Bangladesh and Pakistan did not just resist pressure.

They rewrote the terms of engagement.

And in global cricket politics, that alone is a revolution.

Thank You 

Faisal Caesar 

Aminul Islam’s Necessary Stand

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), under the leadership of Aminul Islam, has taken a decisive and long-overdue step to protect the integrity of Bangladesh cricket. Under the new framework, media access to the national team will be strictly regulated, limited to match days, official press conferences, formally invited events, and designated practice sessions as communicated by the board.

Predictably, this move has triggered outrage from sections of the Bangladeshi sports media. But outrage was inevitable. Because this decision does not merely restrict access, it dismantles an ecosystem of entitlement, manipulation, and long-standing media excess.

What the New Rules Say and Why They Matter

According to reports from Star News, the BCB formally informed the Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) that:

Media accreditation will be issued only to outlets registered under Bangladesh’s ICT Ministry

Unlicensed YouTubers and TikTokers will be barred from unrestricted access

The BSPA has rejected the decision outright

The backlash was instant. Yet, from the perspective of professionalism and national interest, this is one of the most productive decisions the BCB has taken in years.

The Rot of the “Open Access” Era

For over a decade, particularly during what many now describe as a fascist era, Bangladesh’s sports journalism ceased to resemble journalism at all. Cricket venues became open playgrounds where certain media personalities functioned less like reporters and more like personal aides, image managers, and ideological mouthpieces for powerful players and political interests.

This culture insulted journalism itself.

Journalists followed players into dressing rooms, hotels, and private spaces. Sensitive team information leaked freely. Cult figures were manufactured to distract public scrutiny. Syndicates emerged, quietly, gradually, until Bangladesh cricket began to decay from within. The damage was not sudden; it was necrotic. Slow. Internal. Devastating.

A Media With No Moral Authority

Bangladesh’s mainstream media has no credibility left to lecture institutions about ethics. The nation has watched how these outlets behaved over the last 15 years, how they aligned themselves with authoritarian power, how they reshaped narratives overnight after 2024, and how they continue to serve foreign interests while attempting to destabilize domestic institutions to resurrect discredited politics.

This is not speculation. It is record.

No one understands this better than Aminul Islam. He has lived through it, from inside the system. His decision is not impulsive. It is corrective.

Why Aminul Islam Refuses to Bend

Whether it was the Mustafizur Rahman issue, the T20 World Cup controversies, or now media access restrictions, Aminul Islam has remained firm. That firmness is precisely what irritates the media.

Instead of acknowledging the need for reform, they have chosen to attack the man enforcing it.

That tells us everything.

The Hathurusingha Parallel: Media Versus Authority

The current backlash mirrors an older pattern. During the Bangladesh–South Africa series, reports from Prothom Alo highlighted how the national team, under head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, restricted media access, conducted closed training sessions, and declined interviews.

Hathurusingha has faced relentless hostility from sections of Bangladeshi sports journalism since 2014, despite transforming Bangladesh into a competitive international side. Players like Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, and Mahmudullah Riyad have consistently backed his methods. Yet the media preferred to label him “autocratic” and “rude.”

Why?

Because he refused to play their game.

A coach enforcing discipline, privacy, and professionalism threatens a media culture built on proximity, gossip, and leverage.

Journalism or Superiority Complex?

The deeper issue is entitlement. A section of Bangladesh’s sports media believes access is a right, not a privilege. When denied, retaliation follows: twisted quotes, hostile headlines, character assassination.

We have seen this with administrators, players, and coaches alike. Nazmul Hassan’s comments, Mushfiqur Rahim’s silences, Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das avoiding certain journalists, all were weaponized into narratives of crisis.

One must ask honestly: what has this media contributed to Bangladesh cricket beyond noise?

There are excellent journalists in Bangladesh, but they are drowned out by those who lack technical knowledge, ethical discipline, and professional restraint.

The Syndicate Culture Must End

The unhealthy intimacy between certain journalists and powerful cricketers created a media-player syndicate that thrived on access and manipulation. This culture distorted public discourse, destabilized team environments, and undermined coaches, from Heath Streak to Thilan Samaraweera.

Aminul Islam’s intervention directly challenges this structure.

That is why it hurts.

This Is Leadership, Not Suppression

A free press does not mean an unaccountable press.

Aminul Islam’s decision is not anti-media; it is anti-corruption, anti-manipulation, and pro-professionalism. Bangladesh cricket cannot progress while being held hostage by entitlement masquerading as journalism.

The media had years to reform itself. It chose not to.

Now the institution has stepped in.

And for once, Bangladesh cricket is better for it.

Thank You 

Faisal Caesar 

Cricket Under Hegemony: How India Turned a Regional Game into a Power Instrument

In South Asia, power has never been exercised only through borders, armies, or treaties. It has flowed through trade routes, water sharing, media, and quietly but decisively through cricket. What we are witnessing today is not a sporting dispute but the consolidation of regional hierarchy, with India at the apex and the rest of South Asia forced into varying degrees of compliance.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s call for an alternative global cricket body was quickly dismissed by Indian commentators as political theatrics. Yet such calls emerge only when institutional pathways collapse. His accusation that the International Cricket Council has become “hostage to Indian political interests” reflects a deeper South Asian anxiety: that multilateral platforms no longer function as neutral spaces when India’s interests are involved.

From Regional Power to Regional Enforcer

India’s dominance of cricket mirrors its broader regional posture assertive, asymmetrical, and increasingly intolerant of dissent. The Board of Control for Cricket in India is no longer just a sporting body; it is a strategic actor projecting Indian power across South Asia.

Under the current ICC revenue model, India controls nearly 40% of global cricket income. This financial concentration replicates a familiar regional pattern: economic dependency used to discipline neighbours. Smaller South Asian nations, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are structurally discouraged from challenging Indian preferences because the costs are existential.

In such an environment, “choice” becomes theoretical.

Pakistan: Too Big to Obey, Too Risky to Exclude

Pakistan occupies a unique and uncomfortable position in this hierarchy. Unlike smaller neighbours, it cannot be easily absorbed or ignored. Its boycott threat ahead of the T20 World Cup was not an act of withdrawal but a geopolitical signal, participation without consent.

This is precisely why Jay Shah, wearing both ICC authority and Indian institutional legacy, was pushed into reluctant diplomacy. The India–Pakistan fixture is not just a match; it is the single most valuable commodity in global cricket. Excluding Pakistan would fracture the commercial spine of the tournament.

The ICC’s response, dispatching Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja for quiet back-channel talks, exposed the truth: the institution cannot enforce neutrality when its biggest shareholder is also a regional hegemon.

Bangladesh and the Cost of Defiance

If Pakistan represents resistance, Bangladesh represents vulnerability.

The BCCI’s unilateral decision to release Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, citing “political developments” - triggered a chain reaction that ended with Bangladesh refusing to tour India and being replaced by Scotland. This was not a scheduling issue; it was disciplined by substitution.

In South Asian terms, the message was unmistakable: defiance invites isolation. This is how hierarchy is maintained, not through overt bans, but through quiet rearrangements that punish without announcing punishment.

Normalising the Unthinkable

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh openly declared that India does not need Pakistan and can survive without it. Such statements matter not because they are policy, but because they reveal a mindset where exclusion is considered a legitimate option.

This is how dominance becomes normalised. First rhetorically. Then administratively. Finally, structurally.

South Asia has seen this pattern before, in trade negotiations, river water disputes, and regional diplomacy. Cricket is simply the latest arena.

The ICC as a Hollow Multilateral Shell

In theory, the ICC is a global institution. In practice, it resembles many South Asian multilateral frameworks where one power sets the rules while others adapt. When India controls revenue, scheduling, hosting rights, and broadcast windows, neutrality becomes impossible.

The result is a system where:

Smaller South Asian nations hesitate to speak.

Pakistan is managed as a “problem” rather than a stakeholder.

Decisions are framed as commercial inevitabilities rather than political choices.

This is not governance; it is a managed imbalance.

The Long-Term Cost for the Region

India’s approach may deliver short-term control, but it carries long-term risks. A region where sport mirrors political hierarchy will eventually fracture. Associate nations will stagnate. Bilateral distrust will harden. And cricket, once South Asia’s rare shared language, will become another theatre of rivalry and resentment.

You cannot build regional legitimacy on unilateral power.

If the ICC continues to function as an extension of Indian dominance rather than a counterbalance to it, South Asia will not see a golden age of cricket but a familiar story of centralised authority, silenced peripheries, and institutional decay.

Cricket does not need a new empire. It needs a genuinely plural order. Without it, the game will survive, but only as a reflection of power, not as a contest of equals.

Thank You 

Faisal Caesar 

The Gilded Cage: Indian Autocracy and the Slow Death of World Cricket

Cricket today is no longer governed; it is managed, monetized, and manipulated. What was once a multilateral sporting ecosystem has been reduced to a hierarchical order dominated by a single actor: the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). By 2026, the erosion of cricket’s global character is no longer subtle. It is structural, institutional, and deliberate, enabled by an International Cricket Council (ICC) that has surrendered regulatory authority in exchange for commercial survival.

This is not dominance through excellence; it is autocracy through leverage.

Financial Capture: How the ICC Became a Subsidiary

Under the current ICC revenue-sharing model, the BCCI absorbs approximately 38.5% of global cricket revenues. England and Australia, historical pillars of the game, receive around 6% each, while most full members survive on allocations below 5%. Associate nations remain permanently dependent, structurally incapable of closing the gap.

This is not redistribution. It is rent extraction.

India’s control over nearly 80% of global cricket’s commercial value, driven by broadcasting rights, sponsorship concentration, and advertising markets, has allowed the BCCI to convert market size into veto power. The ICC, rather than counterbalancing this asymmetry, has institutionalized it. The result is a governance monoculture in which every major decision, Future Tours Programme scheduling, tournament formats, hosting rights, even leadership appointments, as presumed, requires implicit Indian approval.

Global cricket is no longer planned around sporting equity; it is optimized for Indian television ratings.

The Myth of Neutrality: The Hybrid Model as a Political Weapon

The most glaring manifestation of this imbalance emerged during the 2024–2026 tournament cycle, particularly in the selective application of the so-called “hybrid model.”

For the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, India refused to travel to Pakistan, citing vaguely defined “security concerns”despite multiple international teams touring Pakistan without incident. The ICC capitulated immediately, relocating India’s matches to the UAE, effectively granting them a de facto home environment.

Yet when other nations raised parallel concerns regarding conditions and fairness during the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the same flexibility vanished. Scheduling was structured almost entirely around Indian prime-time viewership, forcing players into brutal heat, compressed recovery windows, and intercontinental travel patterns designed to maximize broadcaster revenue rather than athletic integrity.

Neutrality, it turns out, is available only to India.

Bangladesh’s Defiance: A Rare Breach in the Wall

Against this backdrop of institutional submission, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) unexpectedly emerged as a fault line in the system. The 2026 standoff—sparked by BCCI pressure on IPL franchises to sideline Bangladeshi players, most notably the Mustafizur Rahman episode, exposed how league power is now weaponized to discipline smaller boards.

Bangladesh’s refusal to participate in the T20 World Cup in India was not a tantrum; it was a mirror. India’s own precedent, refusing to travel to Pakistan while demanding accommodation elsewhere, made Bangladesh’s position not only legitimate, but logically unassailable.

When the ICC refused to relocate Bangladesh’s matches to neutral Sri Lanka, despite having done precisely that for India months earlier, it stripped the organization of its last claim to procedural fairness. As Bangladesh’s sports advisor Asif Nazrul noted, the episode confirmed that ICC “justice” is conditional, hierarchical, and transactional.

For once, a board refused to sell the dignity of 200 million supporters in exchange for compliance.

From Big Three to Big One: The Hollowing Out of the Game

What began as the “Big Three” era has collapsed into a “Big One” system. Test cricket is being starved of funding to accommodate an ever-expanding IPL window. Associate nations are kept in a permanent state of dependency, funded just enough to exist, never enough to compete. Competitive balance is treated as a threat, not an objective.

This is not stewardship. It is managed decline.

Cricket, under BCCI-driven governance, is being reshaped into a scripted commercial product where outcomes, venues, and calendars orbit a single national interest. The sport’s global legitimacy is the collateral damage.

India’s dominance is not rooted in superior diplomacy or a coherent vision for cricket’s future. It rests almost entirely on demographic mass and market coercion. By reducing the ICC to an administrative shell, the BCCI has secured short-term profits while accelerating long-term irrelevance outside the Indian market.

The Bangladesh Parallel, and the Moral Inversion

Bangladesh’s objections mirror India’s own stance during the Champions Trophy, yet with greater moral consistency. India not only maintains an openly hostile political narrative toward Bangladesh, but continues to shelter Hasina Wajid, a fugitive convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal, linked to the deaths of over 1,400 Bengalis.

In this context, Bangladesh’s refusal to travel is not merely procedural, it is ethical.

What is truly damning is the spectacle of ICC board members accepting these contradictions without protest. The Champions Trophy was not merely compromised for Pakistan; New Zealand and South Africa paid a tangible sporting price through forced travel that directly impacted their knockout-stage performances. They complied, and were punished for it.

A Game Held Hostage

World cricket today operates inside a gilded cage: lucrative, polished, and fundamentally unfree. Until boards collectively challenge this concentration of power, the erosion will continue, quietly, efficiently, and irreversibly.

The “Gentleman’s Game” is no longer governed by gentlemen. It is governed by a bully with a balance sheet.

And history suggests that no sport survives for long when only one nation’s interests are allowed to matter.

A Resurgence Amidst Challenges: Bangladesh Cricket's Path to Redemption

 

Bangladesh cricket fans have had a turbulent year, fraught with frustration and disappointment. With 22 losses in 27 matches across formats by mid-September, the mood surrounding the Tigers was anything but optimistic. However, their recent triumphs against Zimbabwe—dominating both the Test and ODI series—have brought a much-needed wave of relief, restoring a semblance of confidence among the team and its supporters. While these victories signify a positive turnaround, they also cast a spotlight on the looming challenges that await Bangladesh on the grander stage of international cricket.  

Zimbabwe's Fragile State and Bangladesh's Tactical Capitalization  

There is no denying the struggles of Zimbabwe cricket, a team plagued by inexperience and inconsistency. Their lack of depth has been evident throughout the series, yet Bangladesh deserves credit for exploiting these vulnerabilities with precision. The Tigers' spinners were particularly instrumental in dismantling Zimbabwe, showcasing their expertise on subcontinental pitches. However, the performances also exposed worrying signs, particularly in the batting department.  

Despite playing on placid, batting-friendly tracks, Bangladesh’s top order often appeared fragile, with frequent collapses that left them scrambling to rebuild. Tinashe Panyangara, Zimbabwe’s spearhead, managed to unsettle the batsmen with sharp pace and well-directed short-pitched deliveries—raising concerns about the readiness of Bangladesh’s lineup for the more demanding challenges ahead.  

The Inevitable Litmus Test: Australia and New Zealand  

The upcoming ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand looms large as Bangladesh's next assignment. Unlike the familiar confines of home, these conditions present a formidable challenge. The last time the Tigers toured these nations was over a decade ago—Australia in 2008 and New Zealand in 2010. For most of the current squad, the experience of playing on fast, bouncy tracks remains an uncharted frontier.  

The core issue lies in technical limitations. Bangladeshi batsmen have often struggled outside their comfort zone, with a noticeable weakness in back-foot play and an inability to construct robust defences against high-quality pace. Over-reliance on Shakib Al Hasan, the team’s talismanic all-rounder, is another pressing concern. While Shakib's brilliance has often bailed the team out, one man alone cannot carry the burden of an entire squad.  

Bowling Woes: A Question of Adaptability  

On the bowling front, Bangladesh’s arsenal, dominated by finger spinners, is ill-suited for conditions in Australia and New Zealand. Hard and bouncy tracks offer little assistance to off-spinners, whereas leg-spinners tend to thrive. The emergence of Jubair Hossain offers a glimmer of hope, but the young leggie remains raw and untested on such a grand stage.  

Moreover, Bangladesh’s pace attack lacks the firepower needed to thrive in these conditions. Medium-fast bowlers, effective on subcontinental surfaces, are unlikely to trouble batsmen on tracks that demand sharp pace, disciplined back-of-a-length bowling, and pinpoint yorkers during the death overs.  

Structural Gaps and Missed Opportunities  

The Tigers’ predicament is symptomatic of deeper structural flaws in Bangladesh’s cricketing ecosystem. Despite the looming World Cup, there has been little effort to simulate the conditions players will face. Preparing pace-friendly pitches during the Zimbabwe series, for instance, could have been a valuable exercise in acclimatization. Unfortunately, such foresight has been lacking.  

Moreover, initiatives like sending junior teams to Australia and New Zealand to expose them to foreign conditions have rarely been prioritized. Such tours could have served as a vital learning curve for emerging players, laying the groundwork for long-term success.  

The Way Forward  

With just months remaining before the World Cup, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) faces an uphill task to address these deficiencies. Appointing consultants familiar with Australian conditions—such as former captain Aminul Islam—could provide valuable insights. Additionally, while highly competent, the current coach Chandika Hathurusingha will need to work miracles in the limited time available to prepare his men.  

As the Tigers gear up for their campaign Down Under, fans can take solace in their recent victories but must temper expectations with realism. Competing in Australia and New Zealand requires more than raw talent—it demands adaptability, strategic planning, and the mental resilience to thrive outside one’s comfort zone. Whether Bangladesh can rise to this challenge remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the road ahead will be arduous, and only meticulous preparation can bridge the gap between promise and performance.  

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Aminul Islam: The Unsung Guardian of Bangladesh Cricket’s Legacy

To encounter Aminul Islam is to meet a figure remarkable not only for his talent but for his humility. A cricketer who carried the hopes of an entire nation during Bangladesh’s formative years in international cricket, Aminul remains, even today, devoid of the pride that often accompanies such accomplishments. Instead, he exudes an unassuming warmth and kindness, treating fans with the same sincerity as an elder brother would, offering encouragement and a genuine connection to anyone who approaches him.

Aminul Islam’s legacy is woven into the fabric of Bangladesh cricket. Technically gifted and mentally resilient, he was fearless against pace and precise against spin, distinguishing himself as one of the country's finest batsmen during a time when the game was still finding its footing in Bangladesh. Alongside pioneers like Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, Akram Khan, Minhajul Abedin, and Golam Nawsher Prince, Aminul dreamed of making cricket a defining part of Bangladesh’s identity at a time when soccer dominated the nation’s sporting landscape.

In the face of almost insurmountable odds, these players carried cricket on their shoulders without financial backing or guaranteed careers. For Aminul, cricket was “oxygen”—an unbreakable passion that sustained him even as they played with no promise of fame or reward. Their perseverance paid off when, in November 2000, Bangladesh played its first-ever Test match at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu National Stadium. Aminul rose to the occasion, scoring the first Test hundred for Bangladesh, a glorious 145 that filled the country with pride. Critics who had dismissed him prior to that match were left speechless, as Aminul, true to form, let his bat do the talking.

Yet, this triumph was not enough to shield him from the shifting tides of the cricket board and the harshness of the press. As Bangladesh transitioned from a fledgling Test nation to one looking toward future success, calls to “refresh” the team emerged, advocating for an overhaul in favor of youth. Tragically, this cost Bangladesh one of its most experienced batsmen, as Aminul was unceremoniously pushed aside—a veteran cast away at the very moment his experience was most needed. He was not only left out of the national squad but even banned from participating in domestic competitions, an insult to a player who had given so much to the game.

Disheartened but undeterred, Aminul took his expertise to Australia, where he embraced a new chapter as a cricket coach. His deep knowledge of the game earned him a place in the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) development program, where he took on the responsibility of nurturing cricket in countries like China, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. His efforts to popularize cricket in China are particularly notable, where the sport is now blossoming in a culture largely unfamiliar with it. Through dedication and skill, Aminul Islam has sown the seeds of a cricketing revolution in unlikely terrain, bringing new players into the fold of the game he cherishes.

Despite his immense contributions, Aminul’s connection to Bangladesh cricket remains fractured. The cricket board has repeatedly overlooked his experience, failing to recognize the invaluable insights he could bring to developing young talent in Bangladesh. His nurturing presence, like that of an elder brother, could be instrumental in managing egos, guiding new players, and fostering team unity. Bangladesh cricket needs mentors like Aminul, figures who understand not only the technical demands of the game but also the human side of mentorship. His history, marked by resilience, hard work, and passion, stands as a testament to what can be achieved with vision and dedication.

Aminul Islam is more than just an icon; he is a custodian of cricket’s values and an asset whose experience could elevate the sport in Bangladesh. His legacy and skills deserve recognition not only as a chapter in cricket history but as a beacon for its future. To dismiss such knowledge, passion, and loyalty is to overlook a gardener who knows how to cultivate talent, who has dedicated his life to blooming beautiful flowers on foreign soil when he should have been welcomed with open arms at home. Bangladesh cricket has much to gain from inviting him back to the fold, from allowing Aminul Islam to share his wisdom with the next generation of cricketers. His contribution could be transformative—a guiding hand for young guns, a quiet strength for the veterans, and a unifying spirit for the whole team.

 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Representing your country internationally is always a matter of great pride: Aminul Islam

When you think about Aminul Islam, the picture of a composed and disciplined character comes into your mind. In his playing days, he was the symbol of hope and assurance for Bangladesh cricket. His services towards Bangladesh cricket are huge and his dedication is an example to emulate for the young generation.

Very recently, Aminul Islam had a candid talk with me. He was charming, thoughtful, and at times emotional while talking with Fenomeno Blog.  

Fenomeno: You chose to play cricket in an era when soccer was the most popular sport in Bangladesh. What influenced you to take cricket as a profession?

Aminul Islam: When I was young, soccer was the heart and soul of every Bangladeshi. Soccer stars like Salauddini, Chunnu, Kaiser Hamid, and Aslam were household names. I also wanted to be a soccer player. Those soccer players were so amazing that they inspired a generation to take soccer seriously.

In my home, alongside soccer, cricket too was followed. My elder brother used to play cricket. We used to follow cricket commentaries on radios as in those days; live telecasts were not available like today. But still, in the early 80s, I didn’t take cricket seriously though I used to play cricket. I represented in soccer teams like East End (1985-86) and Victoria (1987). Even in 1988, I got an offer from Brother’s Union to play soccer and cricket simultaneously. The year 1988 was significant for me.

I was called upon by the Bangladesh Football Federations and Bangladesh Cricket Board simultaneously. Both the Bangladesh Football Federation and BCB proposed me to represent Bangladesh internationally in the youth team. Sadly, the anterior cruciate ligament of my knee joint was torn which prohibited me from playing soccer, I chose cricket instead.

Fenomeno: Then you were picked for the ICC Associates XI for the World Youth Cup in Australia………….

Aminul Islam: Yes I was playing for the ICC Associates XI in Australia. The ICC Associates XI included four players from Zimbabwe, two each from Bangladesh, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, and the Netherlands. I and Liton were representing Bangladesh and in that tournament, I was performing quite well.

Our coach was an Australian named Peter Spence. He was pretty satisfied with my overall performance and advised me to stick to cricket and concentrate more on this game as I have a great future here. His motivation pushed me more to take cricket seriously.

Fenomeno: In the same year you were selected for the Bangladesh national team in the Asia Cup which was held in Bangladesh. How was the feeling of representing Bangladesh?

Aminul Islam: Representing your country internationally is always a matter of great pride. I was feeling immensely proud while representing Bangladesh with the ICC Associates XI in Australia. While I was faring well in Australia, one of the Australians advised me to stay in Australia and start playing cricket there.

According to him, Bangladesh has no future in cricket. But I replied that I would feel more proud to represent my own country and it was just a dream come true when I made my international debut against Sri Lanka in 1988.

Fenomeno: Cricket had hardly any hope in those days in Bangladesh. But still, cricketers like you, Minhazul Abedin, Akram Khan, and Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu carried on the hope of cricket amid the sky-high popularity of soccer. How difficult it was for you guys to carry on this hope?

Aminul Islam: It was tough indeed. Cricket didn’t have any professional structure in those days and above all, it was an expensive game. Cricket kits were very expensive and it was hard to buy new kits. Again, there was no such competitive domestic cricket to motivate the next generation and above all, there was no proper funding in the game to inspire young boys to take cricket as a profession.

But I myself, Akram Khan, Minhazul Abedin Nannu, and Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu were all in love with the game. We were cricketers full of passion and optimism. We strongly believe that cricket will bloom in Bangladesh. Our passion helped us to move on amid the sky-high popularity of soccer.

Fenomeno: Your batting was based on a solid technique. Many found a touch of Javed Miandad and Sunil Gavaskar in your batting. Did those two batsmen influence your batting?

Aminul Islam: Basically I was a fan of Richie Richardson. I used to follow his batting a lot. As we didn’t have any frequent live telecasts in those days like today, so whatever matches were telecast in those days, I used to follow them sincerely and studied them, especially Richardson’s batting. Batsmen like Sunil Gavaskar and Javed Miandad were always a big inspiration.

Coming back to my batting technique, well, my solid technique developed due to my coach Bashir Bhai. He was my first cricket coach during my younger days while I was living in Gandaria, Old Dhaka. Then the valuable advice of Osman Bhai, my coach during Nirman School cricket, also helped me a lot. And above all, one man had a tremendous positive impact throughout my cricketing career and he is none but the great Syed Ashraful Haque.

Also, in my 20s, I played in minor counties in England which helped me to develop adaptability against any attack. Also, the experience of playing in Australia’s hard and bouncy tracks helped me in developing a solid technique.

Fenomeno: Tell us something about the ICC Trophy in 1997. That victory totally changed the face of Bangladesh cricket. Isn’t it?

Aminul Islam: It had been the most significant event which changed the face of Bangladesh cricket. In the previous ICC events, we failed to live up to the expectations. Only the champion team was allowed to play in the ICC World Cup before the 1997 event.

But in 1997, three teams would qualify to play in the World Cup. We thought that this was our best chance. We vowed to do well and even if we had to die to win this tournament, we were prepared for that as well. Our coach Gordon Greenidge had done a tremendous job in preparing ourselves for the tournament. We worked very hard and thanks to Almighty Allah our hard work had paid off.

Fenomeno: In the final of the ICC Trophy 1997, you and Akram Khan were in a steady partnership. You two didn’t hit boundaries but plucked singles and couples despite the escalating asking run rate. What were you both thinking during that time?

Aminul Islam: We lost Naimur Rahman early. But Mohammad Rafique and Minhazul Abedin didn’t let the pressure of that early dismissal get into us. They both essayed breezy knocks. After their dismissals, there was a dodgy period.

I had Akram Khan with me at the wicket and we both concentrated on fetching singles and couples as the Kenyan spinners were in operation and they were much more disciplined. It was hard to hit them. Both I and Akram kept on saying to each other that we could do it; it was not an impossible task.

Fenomeno: What about the grand reception in Dhaka?

Aminul Islam: We could not even realize that Dhaka and the whole country would have gone such crazy with this win. We were greeted by a vast crowd in Manik Miah Avenue and it is pretty hard to describe that emotional moment in words.

Fenomeno: Then Bangladesh played in the ICC World Cup in 1999. The match against Pakistan is a part of Bangladesh cricket’s folklore. Did you guys think that you could beat that strong Pakistani team?

Aminul Islam: Bangladesh as a team were improving in each match during that World Cup while Pakistan were unbeaten before playing against us and were in top-notch. Before facing them, we just thought of playing our natural game.

Our veteran cricketers like Minhazul Abedin and Faruk Ahmed declared of retiring from cricket after this last game against Pakistan. So I told my boys to make it a day to remember for these two great cricketers of our land. The rest is history.

Fenomeno: Then a year after the World Cup, Bangladesh gained the much-desired Test status. Do you think that Test status was pretty early for us?

Aminul Islam: First of all, the achievement of the Test status was largely possible due to then BCB’s CEO Syed Ashraful Haque’s diplomatic approach. He was highly instrumental in achieving this Test status.

Now, Even if the Test status was given today, you would have asked whether it was too early or not.

We gained the Test status at the right time and in these thirteen years, you need to look at the positives. Though I think, there were areas which were needed to be galvanized, still, I think it was not early but lack of proper planning and implementation of the right works have not led to a successful thirteen years of Test cricket for Bangladesh.

Fenomeno: Bangladesh’s batting in the Test format lacks stability. Don’t you think that we need to give more importance to playing more 4-day and 5-day formats in the domestic arena rather than indulging too much in T20 cricket?

Aminul Islam: Listen, brother, T20 is not cricket but a baseball game. Test cricket is all about technique and temperament. To achieve the desired results in Test cricket, you need to give more importance to the longer-version games and improve the domestic structure. Not only in domestic cricket but also in the U-19 and school level, you need to build the habit of playing two-day or three-day games, so that the attitude grows up amongst the young boys earlier.

Fenomeno: Bangladesh played its inaugural Test match on November 10, 2000. Before the Test match, there was a lot of drama regarding your selection……..

Aminul Islam: I was not sure whether I would get selected for the team or not. I was having a bad patch. I was written off by the local newspapers. The situation was such that I would get picked as I have given service to my national team for a long time.

They were showing mercy towards my long-term service but not judging my abilities at all.

At that tough moment, I received great support from my coach late Eddie Barlow, Imran Bhai, and captain Naimur Rahman. Finally, I was selected. Even some of the newspapers wrote why I was being selected! But thanks to Allah I delivered the best for my team.

Fenomeno: Tell us something about your magical 145 against India…….

Aminul Islam: I was determined to do well. I gave plenty of time to adapt myself to the conditions. The Indian attack was boosted by Srinath, Agarkar, Sunil Joshi, and co. It was a strong attack. I waited for the loose balls and planned to play session by session. I got nervous when I was in my 90s.

I became slow.

Two names kept wandering in my mind – Javed Miandad and Pravin Amre. Both of them had scored Test hundreds for their country on debut. I kept on motivating myself by remembering their unique feat. Finally, I reached my hundred and thanked the Almighty Allah.

Soon after thanking Allah, I looked towards the dressing room where a paralyzed Eddie Barlow was trying hard to stand up from his wheelchair to give a standing ovation. Later his wife helped him to stand up. These are just precious moments.

Fenomeno: Suddenly you got lost in our cricket. You didn’t even retire from cricket officially……

Aminul Islam: After playing against India, some of our newspapers started to raise the voice of building a national team for the World Cup 2003 without the senior members. I was dropped in the Test and ODI series against Zimbabwe in 2001. Gradually I was being ignored.

As a matter of fact, I was getting more accustomed to Bangladesh cricket’s newest cricket atmosphere. But a certain group never wanted me to flourish. They even didn’t want me to play in our domestic cricket or even minor local games. Slowly I held myself back from my country’s cricket.

I flew to Australia where I am a permanent citizen as well. I started cricket coaching there. I have taken proper coaching and training in Australia. I am never lost from cricket. I am still with cricket.

Fenomeno: Pace bowling is a worry for Bangladesh. We had a pace hunting program in 2003-04. Don’t you think we need to start the pace-hunting program again and continue it? Or, According to you, what measures the BCB should take?

Aminul Islam: Definitely we need to start such programs and continue it. Again, our wickets must be encouraging ones for the pace bowlers as well. Then there should be a strategy to build fast bowlers – a fitness regime and proper diet.

Fenomeno: What sort of strategy does Bangladesh need to do well in Test cricket?

Aminul Islam: Every Test-playing nation has a specific strategy to do well in Test cricket. You need to gain confidence by doing well at home. You need bowlers to take twenty wickets and batsmen to score consistently. Look at India and Sri Lanka.

Their strategy of doing well at home is built upon their spinners apart from their brilliant batsmen, while the medium pacers aid those spinners to strike gold.

We can follow that role model as our conditions are quite similar to them. We are blessed with some quality spinners but these spinners are never utilized according to a plan. As our pace bowlers are not that good, a strategy like India and Sri Lanka could have been followed. But I don’t understand why such strategic actions have not been taken so far.

Fenomeno: We all are shocked by Ashraful’s involvement with spot-fixing. The dubious involvement of Mohammad Rafique, Khaled Mahmud, and Khaled Masud are shocking as well…….

Aminul Islam: First of all Mohammad Rafique, Khaled Mahmud, and Khaled Masud’s case have not yet been proven. I came to know about this whole saga through our local newspapers. Ashraful’s case was simply upsetting. As he has accepted his wrongdoings so what can I say about that. Yes, it is a very frustrating thing for our cricket.

Fenomeno: What should the BCB do to stop corruption in our cricket?

Aminul Islam: The BCB should develop a strong monitoring system in our domestic matches. A strong monitoring system in domestic cricket can help to stop corruption

Fenomeno: You have been a very good captain. Who was your role model? What was your strategy as a captain?

Aminul Islam: Clive Lloyd was my role model as a captain. I always wanted to be a leader like him. As a captain my policy was simple. I was more a player’s captain than a strategist. I gave my players freedom and always listened to them. My motto was always to win.

Fenomeno: How do you rate the present Bangladesh team?

Aminul Islam: I rate them highly. Their body language is always very positive. They fight hard in every game. Many players in our current team have plenty of international matches under their belt but despite this, they are not able to deliver according to their experience in the international arena. Perhaps that’s why Bangladesh still aren’t able to strike gold consistently.

Fenomeno: Who is your favourite cricketer in the Bangladesh team?

Aminul Islam: I enjoy watching Nasir Hossain. He is my favourite player in the current Bangladesh team. The boy is bustling with energy and is very positive. It’s always a joy to watch Nasir in action.

Fenomeno: How is your new role as a coach in the Asian Cricket Council going?

Aminul Islam: I am immensely enjoying it. We are given the responsibility to develop cricket in countries like China, Myanmar, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. In these countries, cricket is flourishing and I am happy with my work so far.

Fenomeno: Thank you so much, sir. It had been a pleasure to talk to you. Do you wish to say something to your fans?

Aminul Islam: It was a pleasure talking with you. To the fans, I want to say that I shall always remain grateful to them for the love and support they have given me throughout my life.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar