While Head Coach Hashan Tillakaratne led Support staff of Sri Lanka U19 team was busy in scratching each other’s back, promoting non performers into the coaching setup and manipulating in selection, one of the unsung hero of the Island Naveed Nawaz has created history with his hard work and vision by becoming the first ever Sri Lanka coach to win an ICC trophy. His incredible feat has once again proved that to create history, you don’t need to launch Social media campaigns, World Cup slogans and going behind politicians and begging for undeserving posts. Instead, to create history, all you need is determination, vision and proper planning.
On Sunday (February 9) Naveed Nawaz, a former Sri Lanka player, marched his neighbor country Bangladeh to World Cup glory, by winning the high octane final against arch rival India! By achieving the incredible feat, Naveed not only became the first ever Sri Lankan coach to win an ICC trohpy, but also put Bangladeh cricket in elite league of World Cup winners! It was the first ever ICC trophy for ‘Bangla Tigers’ and credit for this miraculous achievement goes to Naveed to a larger extent.
Naveed, who played one test and three ODIs for Sri Lanka, started his coaching career in 2005, after retiring from the game. As a player, even though he had a 40 plus First Class batting average, he couldn’t prosper in international cricket, largely due to power packed Sri Lanka batting line up those days, consisting all time greats like Sanath Jayasuriya, Arvinda De Silva, Mahela Jayawardena.
As a Coach, however, Naveed stamped his authority immediately. In Sri Lanka domestic cricket, he coached prestigious Clubs like Nondescript Cricket Club (NCC), Moors Cricket Club and Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) and gained reputation of a hard working and visionary Coach.
Soon, he was drafted by Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) as Women’s Team consultant coach and was later promoted as U19 Coach. He made big strides with Sri Lanka cricket as well, however, as it has always been a norm with SLC, he could not continue for long due to internal politics.
Naveed’s remarkable journey started with Bangladesh Cricket, after he was appointed U19 head Coach. Last year, under his supervision, Bangladesh U19 team was runner up of the Asia Cup, after topping the group stage.
From thereon, Naveed planned the road map for the World Cup. Unlike his former colleague Hashan Tillakaratne, he didn’t launch World Cup slogans. Instead, he persisted with a proper plan of picking right players for the World Cup, giving particular role to them and then providing them the opportunity to play their own game! For the World Cup Also, Bangladeh was the first team to reach South Africa as part of the preparation.
Those plannings and visionary decisions have paid off big time, as entire cricket fraternity is admiring Naveed after Sunday miracle! The trophy has not only established Naveed in international cricket as a coach, it has also opened a new door for him to stake his claim for bigger coaching roles in future!
