“Taking One Step Back to Move Two Forward,” Says BCB Director on Defeat Against UAE

Sports Desk

The head of BCB’s Cricket Operations Department, Nazmul Abedin Fahim, traveled to Dubai to witness Bangladesh’s T20 series against the UAE. He and BCB President Faruk Ahmed watched both matches from the VIP box in Sharjah, including the second T20 where Bangladesh suffered defeat. Upon his return to the country on Wednesday, the former coach, now a director following a power shift, made a surprising remark framing the loss against UAE in a positive light.

When asked by journalists why the Bangladesh team lost to a comparatively weaker team like the UAE, Fahim responded, “Losing to UAE will allow the coaching staff to better understand the team’s weaknesses and work on them more effectively.”

He refused to label the defeat as embarrassing, stating, “No, I’m not embarrassed. If we’re talking about the UAE, they are not a very weak team. We should have won, no doubt. But this is a process. Sometimes, you have to take one step back to move two steps forward. I think this is one of those moments. It might help us refocus.”

As discussions around Fahim’s statement lingered, Bangladesh lost the third and final T20 match last night, conceding the series to the UAE. Cricket fans, unable to accept a series loss to an ICC Associate Member nation, expressed outrage on social media. Many also criticized Fahim’s remarks and demanded his resignation, blaming him for the declining state of cricket in the country over the past 8-9 months.

Fahim, a trusted associate of Interim Government Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud, joined BCB as the head of the Cricket Operations Committee, the body responsible for overseeing the activities of the national team.