Salma Khatun becomes Bangladesh's first woman selector

The BCB has appointed Salma Khatun as the country's first woman selector. The former Bangladesh captain will join Sazzad Ahmed in the women's selection panel. Bangladesh are in the last stage of preparation ahead of the Women's World Cup next month.

Salma was Bangladesh's first captain in international cricket. She went on to lead the country in 65 WT20Is and 18 WODIs. At the time of her last WT20I, she was Bangladesh's most-capped women's T20I cricketer, having played 95 matches. She has also played 46 WODIs.

Salma was also the ICC's No 1 bowler in WT20Is in 2014 and 2015. She took 84 T20I wickets with her offspin at an average of 18.57, with best figures of 4-6 against Sri Lanka.

"I think this is a revolutionary decision by our [BCB] president [Aminul Islam], as having someone like Salma involved will provide great support for women's cricket," Iftekhar Rahman, the BCB's media committee chairman, said. "This is the first time such an appointment has been made in Bangladesh."

The board has also promoted Hasibul Hossain to the senior men's selection panel. He will join chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain and Abdur Razzak. The third position had been vacant since Hannan Sarkar left the role in February this year.

Hasibul, the former fast bowler, played five Tests and 32 ODIs. He played in Bangladesh's inaugural Test match against India in 2000, and was involved in the famous leg-bye that won Bangladesh the ICC Trophy final in 1997.

Hasibul had been a junior selector in the BCB since July 2016, having worked closely with the Bangladesh Under-19 side that lifted the World Cup in 2020.