The newly appointed chairman of Bangladesh selection committee Habibul Bashar said that he will not step back an inch from his decisions on the basis of external criticism. He also gave his opinion on the return of former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan to the team and his plans for the experienced player.
Habibul Bashar was appointed the new head of the national selection panel on Tuesday. He replaced Ashraf as head of the selection panel and stressed that he was still not ready to succumb to external pressure and defer the decision-making process.
He was previously on the Bangladesh selection panel under chief selectors between 2011 and 2024. Farooq Ahmed, Akram Khan and Minhajul Abedin respectively. BCB announced on the 23rd that the former captain will now lead the revised selection panel.
“…When it comes to my decision, I will do what my heart tells me” – Habibul Bashar
The former Bangladesh captain said that he will always listen to his heart and take decisions based on his conscience. Any external pressure or criticism will not affect him for a long time.
“I know I won’t be right all the time, because I’m human and can make mistakes. But when it comes to my decisions, I’ll do what my heart tells me. If I have to hear the words [criticism] For this, I am ready to take it, and I have taken the job after accepting that out of 10 people, five will call me right and five will call me wrong,” Bashar told reporters during his first official press conference after assuming the hot seat at SBNS on Tuesday.
“Whether it’s being trolled or criticized by the press, I don’t care. I went through all this when I was captain and my main job is to work with the team and that won’t be hampered by what anyone writes,” he said.
“Obviously, if we are thinking about Shakib Al Hasan, we will be thinking long-term,” Bashar said.
Although Bashar is yet to take charge from next month, he could not avoid the inevitable question regarding former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan. However, he clarified that Bashar will consider Shakib Al Hasan for the long term.
“There is not much time left before the New Zealand series and I am not sure how much Shakib has been involved with cricket. From what I know about him, he is not a guy who will come tomorrow and play the day after tomorrow. He also needs preparation. This is not the place for emotions. Obviously, if we are thinking about Shakib, we will be thinking in the long term,” Bashar said.
He further said that Shakib Al Hasan will not play a single series and will leave; Instead, if he returns to the team, he should prepare himself for the long haul. However, he clarified that he is definitely in the plans.
He said, “Many people talk about retirement; for example, we have seen discussions about Mushfiqur Rahim’s retirement. I have said that the longer he plays, the better it will be for us. The more we can involve him, the better it will be for the team. And when we pick him, it is not that he comes and retires. I want him to be there for a long period, at least he has that plan. Where he can play the 2027 World Cup. So my plans are not for one series.”
Habibul Bashar reveals direct qualification to 2027 World Cup as his main focus
Bashar also said that his primary focus would be to ensure Bangladesh’s direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup. They are currently placed 9th and will aim to climb to 8th at least before the cut-off date to ensure automatic qualification for the marquee event.
“I mean, our first target is to qualify straight away. That’s the primary target. But what’s more important is that we remain consistent in performance. Whether it’s in team selection or our performance, that will definitely be a big focus,” he said.
“And since there are many matches this year, I think we have to work with a bigger group. There are back-to-back series. So we have to increase the pool of players a little more. Everyone should perform well. If outside the 14-15 squad, maybe 10 or 15 more players; it is very important to work with this group. If we can prepare this group very well, I think we will not have problems,” he concluded.
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