KHALED MAHMUD

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director and Abahani coach Khaled Mahmud said that it would be good for the national team if Mashrafe Bin Mortaza returned to T20 cricket.

"It will totally depend on him [Mashrafe] whether he considers returning to T20 cricket but without any doubt he is a very important player, especially with the new ball. We all know that we are not good during Powerplays while operating the new ball and Mashrafe is now fantastic with his bowling," opined Mahmud while speaking to reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

"I am telling him to think about whether he wants to play T20Is but I don't think he is seriously thinking about his return. I told him to think positively but I don't think he would like to make a return to T20Is," he added.

However, Mahmud believes that they have to give younger players international exposure with the country's future in consideration as well as the number of games the Tigers are scheduled to play. And he believes that T20Is are the best platform for young players to gain international exposure.

"I don't agree that we experimented with too many players during the last series. Everybody came [into the team] on the basis of their performances. Every new player who got a chance in the last T20I series was exciting and a future player. We have a very busy international schedule in the coming days so you may have to fight with injuries as well as think about your new talents. And we can only accommodate them in T20Is," he explained.

Mahmud, the former national skipper, played a leading coaching role as a technical director during the tri-series and Test and T20I series against Sri Lanka at home. However, his chances of continuing in that role in the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka are very slim as the BCB are planning to appoint someone from the existing foreign staff to perform the role of head coach on a temporary basis. Mahmud may be offered to tour with the team in his previous capacity as team manager.

When asked about whether he was interested in continuing the role of technical director, he said: "I never say no whenever they give me any duty."

Mahmud also apologised for his outburst after the tri-series, Test and T20I series defeats against Sri Lanka.

"There was so much talk regarding the series that I could not control my emotions and I overreacted. I didn't say anything to hurt anybody, I spoke out of emotion…I am really sorry for that. Definitely the media have had a huge role in Bangladesh cricket."