ICC World Cup 2019 | Bangladesh sack head coach Steve Rhodes

After their first ever title win in a multi-team tournament in Ireland just before the World Cup, Bangladesh headed to England with fresh hopes. Although they weren’t expected to upset all the major teams, Bangladesh cricket had hoped for an improved performance as compared to 2011 and 2015. So, a return of three wins - all against fellow strugglers like Afghanistan, West Indies, and South Africa - was deemed ‘not good enough. Thus, the board have announced their decision to sack the head coach. 

“We have decided to part ways with the head coach by mutual consent. The decision will be effective immediately,” Bangladesh Cricket Board chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury told AFP, reported Scroll.

Rhodes was contracted with the BCB till the end of the ICC World T20 next year in Australia. The immediate decision leaves the BCB in a position to quickly name an interim coach ahead of their tour to Sri Lanka later this month. 

“We will shorty name an interim coach for the Sri Lanka tour,” Jalal Yunus, the chairman of the media committee of the BCB, told AFP. 

Bangladesh will play Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series after their security team had given clearance for the Tigers to play in the island nation. Meanwhile, Jalal also confirmed that several other major changes are expected within the coaching team. The BCB are unlikely to renew their contract with fast bowling coach Courtney Walsh but are undecided on their spin bowling coach Sunil Joshi.

However, the BCB did confirm that they are willing to extend the contracts with the coaches in the batting and fielding departments. “The decision on Joshi will be finalised in our next meeting later this month. We would like (Neil) McKenzie and the fielding coach (Ryan Cook) to stay with us. But it does not depend entirely on us,” Chowdhury said.