Bangladesh ban player columns

Dhaka - Bangladesh cricket chiefs have ordered World Cup players not to write newspaper columns after a public spat involving skipper Shakib Al Hasan, local media said on Tuesday.

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Shakib, writing in a prominent Dhaka-based Bengali newspaper, had slammed former players for criticising his team after it slumped to its lowest one-day total of 58 against the West Indies last Friday.

"I feel really bad when I see former cricketers talk like common fans," Shakib had written the next day.

"I don’t like to demean anyone. But you can see in the record books who did what," the current captain wrote.

Former captain Roquibul Hassan told the English New Age newspaper that Shakib's comments were out of order.

"It shows a great audacity and a great insult to senior players," said Hasan. "He doesn't know the history of Bangladesh cricket and that is the saddest part."

Bangladesh Cricket Board chief executive Manzur Ahmed said the players had been told not to write columns and concentrate instead on their game.

"We have asked the team management to stop players from writing columns," Ahmed told the New Age. "We are preparing media guidelines for the players and will see if they can write after the World Cup."

Bangladesh, who have just two points from three games, need a win against England in Chittagong on Friday to remain in contention for a place in the quarterfinals.

Bangladesh are co-hosting cricket's premier event for the first time with India and Sri Lanka.