A Bangladesh Cricket Board functionary said on Tuesday that Ashiqur Rahman has been named the interim fielding coach for the forthcoming Pakistan tour. The move follows the unavailability of the regular fielding coach, James Pamment, who has been ruled out of the series because of back pain.
Shahriar Nafees, the BCB’s head of cricket operations, confirmed the development, stating that Ashiqur has been brought in for the Pakistan series since Pamment is dealing with back issues. He added that the board’s medical staff has recommended that Pamment undergo rehabilitation in order to recover properly. Nafees also noted that the arrangement gives Bangladesh an opportunity to observe the work of a homegrown coach in an international setting.
Ashiqur, who joined Bangladesh’s national team training session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, is a well-known presence within the national set-up. Over recent years, he has worked closely with extended squads as well as development groups, building a familiarity with the players and their day-to-day preparation.
In addition, Ashiqur has recently attracted attention for an unexpected bond with teenage batting talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Bangladesh and Pakistan began their preparations for the upcoming two-Test series at SBNS on Tuesday, with the first match pencilled in for April 8 in Dhaka. The second Test will be staged in Chattogram on April 16.
