Bangladesh spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed said that he ‘100 percent’ expects Rishad Hossain to play Tests for the Tigers and believes he can be a solid option in the five-day format as well.

Coming into the tournament, Liton Das and his side looked confident, showing signs of stability. Yet after a heavy defeat to Sri Lanka, the atmosphere has turned tense.

"Intent in T20s has to be there. When you are chasing 200 runs, you can't let the required run rate go over 13. If you take the average at 13, it will be tough for you," Mushtaq told reporters after the match.

Newly-appointed pace bowling coach Shaun Tait and spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed have joined the Bangladesh team in Lahore ahead of their three-match T20I series against the hosts, scheduled to start on May 28.

Bangladesh’s spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed is close to signing a two-year contract extension with the Tigers. The former Pakistan spin wizard left to be with his family in Lahore after Bangladesh’s final ICC Champions Trophy group-stage fixture got washed out in Rawalpindi but had a chat with The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan about Bangladesh’s disappointing campaign in the global event and some of the factors that contributed to it. The excerpts are as follows:

As it stands, South Africa are still in the driving seat despite Bangladesh’s 81-run lead.

Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali struck half-centuries as Bangladesh staged a fightback with an 81-run lead before bad light brought an early finish to day three of the first Test on Wednesday.

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed has re-joined the Bangladesh team as their spin bowling coach for their forthcoming two-Test series against South Africa set to begin in Dhaka on Monday.

Pakistan spin wizard Mushtaq Ahmed has been in charge of the Bangladesh spinners for the past two international assignments -- the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies followed by the two-match Test tour of Pakistan. His troops have delivered remarkable performances in both tours but the 54-year-old is yet to be offered a long-term contract. In an interview with The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan yesterday, Mushtaq shared his take on Bangladesh’s historic series win in Pakistan and his future with the Tigers.

Bangladesh spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed on Thursday said that the players have recovered from the effects of the chaotic situation in the country and are focusing on cricket.

Mushtaq, who oversaw Bangladesh’s spin bowling unit during the T20 World Cup in USA and the Caribbean, has since taken up a coaching job with the England U-19 team.

“I don’t think he [Rishad] is fully ready for red-ball cricket at the moment,” Shanto told the media during an event at the capital’s Pragati Sarani today.

BCB landed itself in another sticky situation after Mushtaq Ahmed, the national team’s spin bowling coach in the recent ICC T20 World Cup, joined England Under19s just days after board president Nazmul Hassan Papon said they were working on extending his contract.

"I can't say how long it's [England U19 contract] for. I don’t know if he will be available for the Pakistan series,” BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury told The Daily Star today.

Bangladesh players trained at the Arnos Vale Stadium in Kingstown today ahead of their final Group D fixture against Nepal at the same venue on Monday. A win against Nepal will seal qualification to the Super 8s for the Tigers alongside group-leaders South Africa. 

“All of you are the future of Bangladesh cricket. You all have to give your heart and soul in training… Nobody can cheat success,” Mushtaq told the group of boys

Meanwhile, Sujon asserted that the new selection panel has created a balanced team with the preparatory squad.

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha had returned to the country on Sunday and there were quite a few key meetings, including one with selectors and another with cricket operations, before a preparatory squad was announced yesterday for the upcoming home T20I series against Zimbabwe as the World Cup squad starts to take shape.

Bangladesh’s newly-appointed spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed arrived at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium along with the rest of the coaching panel, including head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who joined the Tigers camp following the Eid holidays. 

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appointed former Pakistani leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed as the national team's spin bowling coach on Tuesday. The decision seemed like a curious one given the dearth of leg-spinners in the national team and the country itself.