'Kirsten due next week'

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been desperately searching for a coach since the departure of Chandika Hathurusingha. There has not been much development to this end, but the Tigers are set to appoint Gary Kirsten, who led India to a World Cup win, as a consultant. The former South Africa batsman is expected to be in Dhaka around the 20th of this month.

Kirsten is currently working for Indian Premier League side Royal Challengers Bangalore. They have earned only 10 points in 12 matches, meaning they stand a feeble chance to qualify for the last four. Should they fail to make it past the group stages, Bangalore will play their last match of the tourney on 19 May. And Kirsten will come the next day or the day after, BCB president Nazmul Hassan told newsman at a reception accorded to former Tigers coach Gordon Greenidge on Monday evening.

For the time being, Kirsten will be tasked to help the board find a head coach, he added. "We have made a short-list. They are no big names, as the high profile ones are either with a team or busy with the IPL or the Big Bash. But we want someone for the long term. Someone like Hathurusingha. When he came here he was no big guy. We need Kirsten's opinions to find the perfect match," Nazmul said.

However, he confirmed that the team will not have a head coach during the Afghanistan series, to be played in early June. The board hopes to appoint someone prior to the West Indies series, he further said.