NEW DELHI: Bangladesh cricket is stuck in a turbulent stretch where the noise away from the pitch has begun to outweigh what happens during matches. Former cricketer Aftab Ahmed did not hold back, calling the current setup a \u201ccircus\u201d and targeting the cricket board and those surrounding it. His comments\u2014\u201cBangladesh\u2019s biggest circus is the cricket board, and the ones around it\u201d\u2014captured a frustration that many supporters have been voicing as the sport repeatedly slips into headlines even when there is no cricket to play. Mismanagement concerns, payment disagreements, and a stream of controversies have kept the administration in the spotlight.<\/p>\n
Aftab also argued that these problems have become so embedded that they are impossible for the public to ignore. He drew a comparison with his time in the United States, saying, \u201cI have been living in the USA for the past three years, but I still don\u2019t know where the cricket board is located. Despite working with cricket almost every day, I don\u2019t even know the [USA cricket] board\u2019s location, let alone its members.\u201d<\/p>\n
He went on to add that while he may accept personal responsibility for not knowing, he believes the same standard does not apply to Bangladesh fans and observers. \u201cYou could say it is my failure that I don\u2019t know. But people in Bangladesh don\u2019t have that failure. Do you know why? Because even if you do not know, you will be informed by the media. Even if you do not want to know, they will make sure you do, through constant amplification,\u201d Aftab said.<\/p>\n
Closing his remarks with a pointed plea, Aftab added, \u201cCricket doesn\u2019t exist anymore; the circus does. I request you all to witness the circus.\u201d<\/p>\n
The situation intensified after the National Sports Council moved to dissolve the Bangladesh cricket board led by Aminul Islam Bulbul. The council cited irregularities tied to the 2025 elections. While the body\u2019s decision is said to fall within its powers, the timing and the choices that followed have triggered fresh debate and questions about how the transition has been handled.<\/p>\n
In the wake of the dissolution, a new 11-member ad hoc committee has been put in place. The committee is chaired by former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, a figure who had previously stayed away from elections, citing \u201cpolitical interference and conspiracies.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are also reports that several committee members maintain links with political figures, which has fueled further worry about external influence shaping cricket administration. That backdrop has led Aftab to deliver a sarcastic comparison: \u201cEven if you buy a ticket worth Tk 2,000, it will not go in vain considering the type of circus going on in the cricket board.\u201d<\/p>\n
For fans tracking what\u2019s happening across the T20 landscape, keep an eye on the latest IPL live scores, IPL news, the IPL schedule, the points table, and the race for the Orange Cap and Purple Cap.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEW DELHI: Bangladesh cricket is stuck in a turbulent stretch where the noise away from the pitch has begun to outweigh what happens during matches.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1437,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Aftab Ahmed Calls Bangladesh Cricket Setup \u201cCircus","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Aftab Ahmed brands Bangladesh\u2019s cricket setup a \u201ccircus,\u201d sparking debate over board decisions and off-field drama as performances fail to match expectations.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n