BCB approaches still-playing Abdur Razzak for selector’s position

One of the selectors’ position in the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has fallen vacant following the exit of Faruque Ahmed and former national cricketer Abdur Razzak has been offered the post. Ahmed’s departure has left the BCB selection panel with two selectors and the board was in the look-out for the third member.

Razzak, 37, has been a reputed name in the country’s cricketing circles and the board was interested to hire him as a selector. Akram Khan, chairman, cricket operations, told a local newspaper that they approached Razzak and he has taken time since he was playing in Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League recently. The league has now been postponed because of the Coronavirus pandemic which has claimed more than one life in Bangladesh.

“I have told Habibul Bashar to give Razzak our proposal. Razzak is taking time as he is playing in the league.He may want to play longer as well,” Khan, a former Bangladesh captain, said. Razzak, who played his last match (Test) for Bangladesh in 2018, said he is well aware of the BCB wanting to rope him in as a selector and conceded that he is taking some time to make a call.

Player or selector? Abdur Razzak has to make a decision

“Yes, they have contacted me. I wanted some time to decide about this. I have told them that I will let them know after the premier league matches. League matches are postponed now. I can think about this now,” Abdur Razzak told the local media, cricfrenzy.com reported.

Abdur Razzak has played in 13 Tests, 153 ODIs and 34 T20Is between 2004 and 2018 in which the slow left-arm orthodox bowler has claimed 279 wickets. He continues to be a prominent player in Bangladesh’s local league. He has 634 wickets in 137 first-class games and 412 wickets in 280 List-A matches.

“I have to leave cricket for the news jobs. It is not an easy decision. One has to take time to decide about any decision so that he has no regrets,” he said. Shahriar Nafees and Monjural Hossain were two other contenders for the selectors’ posts but they have not been contacted by the board.