BPL Franchise’s Head Coach Walks Out Of Training Amid Management Dispute

Former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud and pace bowling coach Talha Jubair briefly staged a walkout from Noakhali Express training in Sylhet over management issues

In a dramatic turn of events, former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud staged a walkout from his role as head coach of the Noakhali Express during a training session in Sylhet on Thursday. He was joined by the team’s pace bowling coach, former national pacer Talha Jubair, citing profound dissatisfaction with the franchise’s management.

The pair later returned after being persuaded by a close friend, averting a full departure that threatened to disrupt their team’s Bangladesh Premier League preparations.

The incident unfolded when Mahmud arrived with the team for practice ahead of Sylhet’s BPL matches. He and Talha abruptly left the ground while engaged in a heated telephone conversation. It is understood that the immediate cause was a lack of proper training balls, leading to a dispute where the franchise owner reportedly misbehaved with Mahmud when he raised the issue.

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“I will not do the BPL under any circumstances. I have never seen this in the BPL,” Mahmud told reporters at the ground.

Talha echoed the same sentiment. “I don’t want to work. I don’t know about you, Sujon (Mahmud) bhai, but I am not working,” Talha said.

The disruption occurred on the same day the Bangladesh Cricket Board assumed control of the Chattogram Royals franchise. BCB director Iftekhar Rahman commented on both situations, stating they were pleased the Royals’ owner stepped aside before the tournament.

BCB Took Over Noakhali Express Over Payment Failures

“I think this (Royal leaving BPL) is good in one way as if we had said that you manage the players now telling them you will pay them later in that case the game would proceed. We definitely looking at the good side as we don’t want move a bit from integrity issue and players payment,” Iftekhar told reporters.

Regarding Noakhali Express, he suggested the team lacked professionalism. “As far as Noakhali is concerned what I heard their plane haven’t arrived (carrying the balls and other things) but if they had asked to BPL governing council we would have given them 10 balls but having said that this means they are unprofessional. At least they (Noakhali) paid 25 percent of players payment,” he added.