Khaled Mahmud wants to break the runners-up cycle with Khulna Tigers

“I’ve finished as the runners-up too many times. I’m turning into a runners-up coach!”

This is what Fortune Barishal’s coach Khaled Mahmud had to say after his side lost the final of last year’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) against Comilla Victorians.

Mahmud’s frustration about finishing second was well founded as that was the fourth straight BPL where a team he coached finished as runners-up.

For the forthcoming season, Mahmud has been roped in as the coach of Khulna Tigers. Last season, he had Shakib Al Hasan in his ranks. This year, he will form a partnership with Khulna captain Tamim Iqbal.

During the team’s training session in Mirpur on Tuesday, Khaled said that he is looking forward to collaborate with Tamim.

“This is not the first time I’ll be coaching Tamim. I have been working with him since he was a kid. I have very good chemistry with Tamim. Decisions over team formation and overseas cricketer recruitment were taken after discussions with Tamim. We are also focusing on the areas where we need to work on,” Mahmud told the media during the team’s training session in Mirpur.

After finishing second on four occasions, Mahmud is eyeing to go one step further with Khulna.

“I have worked with Shakib in the BPL for many years, at first at Dhaka Dynamites and then last year at Fortune Barishal. It didn’t happen there (becoming champions). Khulna felt I was the right man for the job, so they have signed me. I will try to give my best shot, do the best work I can."

“The goal is to become champions. That’s why we are here,” said the former Bangladesh captain.

Tamim will return to cricket with the BPL after missing out Bangladesh’s ODI and Test series at home against India last month owing to an elbow injury.

But Mahmud is optimistic that Tamim will be at his best at the BPL.

“Tamim has recovered very well. He went to Bangkok with Champaka (Ramanayake). He had a slight niggle. He batted at the nets in the last two days. I also told him to take it easy as our first game is on the 7th. Today (Tuesday) is just the 3rd. We will play a practice match tomorrow (Wednesday). Maybe, Tamim will bat for a bit in that match. He is fit, ready to go.”

Mahmud was also satisfied with the team he had, “We are not a bad team. We have a fighting squad. We have many young cricketers, which I like. We have also experienced cricketers like Tamim, Yasir (Ali), (Mohammad) Saifuddin. The overseas players are also quite good. Wahab (Riaz) is about to join, we have a good team combination. I won’t say that we are the strongest team on paper, but we are a competitive team.”

Khulna Tigers will face Dhaka Dominators in their tournament opener on 7 January.