DHAKA, Aug 27, 2024 (BSS)-Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Akram Khan
said that the new board will work for the interest of the players since the
current president is a former cricketer who led the national team.

According to Akram, as a cricketer, Faruque Ahmed will understand players
demand with ease.

"We are always trying to take Bangladesh cricket forward. Now that a former
cricketer has become the first board president in Bangladesh, I would like to
say one thing - surely there will be many privileges for the players," Akram
told the reporters here today.

"We will try to do it as soon as possible within a year... maybe we won't be
able to take big project but we'll expand the facilities of the players.
Infrastructure facilities will be developed. There are many places outside
Dhaka but there are players who don't get a chance to play for the lack of
stadium. We will work on those issues."

The roadmap for how the board will move forward is yet to be developed. The
second board meeting of the ongoing board will be held on Thursday.

The policy makers will sit again soon and then everything will be clarified,
Akram said.

"After this board came, we had an emergency meeting. After that there was no
meeting. Let's wait a few days and then we will talk about this (roadmap).
Now we think it's too early. Give us some time because we will have a
meeting, after which you will get a clear picture," Akram said.
 
Akram heaped praise on Shakib Al Hasan, saying that when the star allrounder
plays, the Bangladesh get an additional advantage as a team.

Shakib was key in Bangladesh's landmark 10-wicket victory against Pakistan in
the first Test despite Mushfiqur Rahim's monumental 191. When the Test headed
towards a draw in an unresponsive pitch, Shakib's three crucial breakthroughs
on Day 5 titled the game towards completely for Bangladesh.

"There is nothing to say about Shakib's performance. A player certainly can't
play for the country for 14/15 years in row without any quality. His
achievement spoke a volume of him. He is the player who always performs and
more importantly when he plays, Bangladesh get extra benefit as a team,"
Akram opined.

Shakib's performance came at a moment when he was charged with an alleged
murder case and legal notice sought his elimination from the national cricket
team.

The BCB was supposed to take a decision after the first Test but Akram said
they are yet to get any legal notice regarding Shakib.

"As far as I am concerned, we are yet to get any legal notice. If we get,
we'll take a decision."

Akram, however, hailed Bangladesh's maiden Test victory against Pakistan as a
'big achievement' for the country.

"This is a big achievement for Bangladesh. You know, among the three formats,
our performance in ODIs is good but we could not prove ourselves in T20 or
Test. Now we beat a team like Pakistan on their own backyard by dominating
them. Pakistan is a very strong side at home," Akram said.

"The way we played, it's good to see. Bowlers took early wickets, our openers
started very well. Then those in the middle order batted well. So those who
are talking a lot of negative things about us, we have given them a reply
with this win. If we do well in the next match, the answer will be stronger.
The wicket is very similar to the wicket of Bangladesh and if we can maintain
this performance, then I think we can win the next match as well."

Akram also talked about Tamim Iqbal, who is his nephew, saying that he
doesn't know what the opener is thinking about his future.

Tamim has been away from the cricket since the 2023 ODI World Cup. He was
supposed to talk to the then BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon but the latest
change in power made all things uncertain. He was recently seen to accompany
the sports adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan who was visiting the Sher-e-
Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Earlier, when asked BCB president Faruque Ahmed said he wants Tamim to
continue cricket for two or three years more but if he wants to come in
board, that will also be excellent.

"Tamim is still playing. Whoever plays cricket, I want him to play well. But
I can't tell anything about Tamim. Whether he will continue to play or enter
into the board, it's up to him," Akram said.