For now the contract is only for a couple of months. At this time, Mushtaq Ahmed should be busy with T20 World Cup preparation and World Cup. However, he wants to make a bigger impression as the spin coach of Bangladesh. This leg spin great of Pakistan wants to play a role in bringing out leg spinners, mystery spinners and left arm wrist spinners by working with local coaches.
Mushtaq came to Dhaka on Monday to take charge of Bangladesh’s new spin coach. His new journey officially began with an introduction session with the coaching staff and board officials on Tuesday at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Stadium. His contract with BCB is till the next T20 World Cup.
The 53-year-old former spinner talked about his excitement after signing the contract as spin coach of Bangladesh. Stepping into the Mirpur stadium, he heard that feeling again.
“It is a great honor for me to be a part of the Bangladesh cricket system. I look forward.”
He has come to Bangladesh several times in his playing career. He came to Bangladesh in 1994 for the Pakistan team and played two one-day matches. Bangabandhu took three wickets in the first match at the National Stadium and remained wicketless in the next match. However, those matches with the team of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Salim Malik, Basit Ali, Waqar Younis, Amir Sohail, Rashid Latif were not counted as international matches.
Before this, he last came to Bangladesh in 1998 to play in the Independence Cup. After all these years, the spinner who played 52 Tests and 144 ODIs took a dip in the sea of memory.
“After winning the 1992 World Cup, I was in the team (to tour Bangladesh) in 1993-94. It is always great to visit Bangladesh. Because the locals here are big fans of Pakistani cricketers and Pakistani people. We also always enjoyed coming here and playing cricket. The hospitality here is amazing. We loved the food and everything.”
Mushtaq has made a name for himself as a coach after leaving the game. Apart from working as a spin coach in England team for six years, he also worked in West Indies, Pakistan team and held various responsibilities in franchise cricket. He wants to make his mark as a coach in Bangladesh as well.
“First of all, I believe that as a coach I have to believe. I am here to make a difference. Inshallah we will make a difference in the spin department. I will be able to share the experience that I have for so many years with the young and senior cricketers. Hopefully, we can make a difference.”
“I believe, only those who can be coached can be coached. The youth here are very talented. We can share our experience with them. I believe the team is very talented and can challenge all teams.”
Although his main place of work is the national team, he wants to contribute to Bangladesh cricket in other ways.
“In club cricket in Asia, there are always leg spinners, mystery spinners, Chinaman bowlers in net practice. Hopefully, my experience will be useful there and I will be able to communicate a lot through the Bangladesh Cricket Board.”
“Can meet club cricket and first-class coaches and try to bring out good leg-spinners or chinaman bowlers. Because now white ball cricket needs a wicket-taking spinner in the middle overs. It is important to bring out the mystery spinners and hopefully, we can.”
