Bangladesh sacks coaches for not playing leg-spinners

Bangladesh has upped in the ante in its quest for a quality leg-spin bowler, with two domestic first-class coaches sacked for not fielding one in the National Cricket League. The unusual requirement was introduced as Bangladesh desperately looks for a decent leggie for its national team as it struggles in international cricket.

The lack of domestic match practice for batsmen against leg spin was also laid bare as Afghan wizard Rashid Khan tore apart Bangladesh in the recent series.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Friday that two coaches had been withdrawn for not following instructions.

‘Clear instructions’

Dhaka failed to field leg-spinner Jubair Hossain while Khulna ignored Rishad Hossain in its recent first-round domestic matches. “We had given clear instructions to play leg-spinners in the NCL, but neither... was picked in the starting eleven,” Board president Nazmul Hassan told reporters on Thursday.

“We have to give them game time. How can they improve otherwise?” Chittagong and Dhaka Metropolis both followed the Board’s edict and debuted leg-spinners Minhajul Abedin and Aminul Islam in the eight-team NCL.

Hassan said the Board will also make it mandatory for teams to play leg-spinners in the forthcoming Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 tournament. “They (teams) must have a leg-spinner in the squad and if he is a local he must be picked in the best XI,” said Hassan.