pilot's interview

[fan_frm_the_uk]

http://content.cricinfo.com/engvban/content/story/209893.html

[Zobair]

very interesting. Well said Khaled Masud! That should clear the air a bit and help the team t move on to bigger and better things.



How did you come out of the lows of the 2003 World Cup which signalled the end of your captaincy?
I did not lose the captaincy. As a matter of fact I had announced my intentions of stepping down after the World Cup at a press conference before we left for South Africa. It was a decision I took after a lot of thinking. The situation on and off the field was not half as organised as it is now. There were no separate bodies and hardly any responsible individuals on the Bangladesh Cricket Board to address the team's disciplinary aspects, training and overall well-being. The coaching staff was inept to say the least. Often we did not know where the next practice was going to be held and would you believe it, we played just one warm-up game before leaving for the World Cup. There was no planning, no systematic training. I was feeling increasingly isolated and wanted the burden of captaincy off me so that I could concentrate on my game. My declaration at the press conference took everyone by surprise as I had not given any prior hints. Some people were not happy.


How did the repercussions affect you?
We lost against Canada and Kenya and all hell broke loose. I could sense that I'd be made the scapegoat. A probe committee found me responsible for the debacle and accused me of improper conduct. There were even allegations of match-fixing against me. Funnily enough, Colonel Noor of the ICC's anti-corruption unit was taken by surprise when he was asked about the matter. I scored most runs for Bangladesh despite not being a top-order batsman and dropped just two catches in the tournament but I was the only one paying the price for the team's failure. But I have no bitterness towards anybody. When I was offered the role of vice-captain for the New Zealand series, I went to Habibul [Bashar] and told him: "Look, we have all made mistakes at some point but those are things of the past. On the field I'll fight for Bangladesh till I drop dead and you can depend on me 100 percent."

[oracle]

"Look, we have all made mistakes at some point but those are things of the past. On the field I'll fight for Bangladesh till I drop dead and you can depend on me 100 percent."


He has been saying a lot of mature things lately. Can only be good for the team.:up: