OTD 1971: Khaled Mahmud was born

A gritty, hard-nosed all-rounder who never shied away from confrontation, Khaled Mahmud was a cricketer who wore his heart on his sleeve. Born on July 26, 1971, Mahmud was one of the more fondly remembered cricketers to come out of Bangladesh and is fondly remembered as one of the heroes of the early generations of Bangladesh cricket. Despite his boisterous personality, he was regarded as a witty cricketer and was a reliable confidante and leader for his teammates.

Despite being a regular performer in the domestic circuit in Bangladesh, Mahmud only made his international debut in 1998 in an ODI against India. His first moment of notable brilliance came in the 1999 Cricket World Cup clash against Pakistan, where he shone with both bat and ball.

Bening was put into bat in Northampton, and Bangladesh were able to manage a total of 223 for 9 against a bowling attack of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Azhar Mahmood, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shahid Afridi. All their batters were able to get scores, including Mahmud, who managed a vital 27 off 34 balls. They then had Pakistan reduced to 42 for 5, with Mahmud himself picking up three of the wickets. Pakistan were unable to recover from the collapse, being bundled out for 161, losing by 62 runs. A match that was considered one of the most significant upsets in cricket history had Mahmud placed front and centre as the architect, with his gritty batting and bowling often referred to as “military medium”. He was awarded Player of the Match for his all-round performance in the game.

Mahmud was made captain of the Bangladesh side after Khaled Mashud stepped down after a dismal World Cup in 2003. His most notable moment as captain came in Bangladesh’s one-wicket loss to Pakistan. His key decisions as captain – the push for the inclusion of a young Mashrafe Mortaza on a green Multan track, clashing with coach Dav Whatmore in the process, and electing to bat first on a wicket aiding seamers proved crucial. Bangladesh made a score of 281 in their first innings, before bundling their Asian rivals out for 175, gaining a significant 106-run lead. Mahmud picked up four wickets in the first innings with his bowling, but was unable to contribute with the bat as Bangladesh were bowled out for 154, setting Pakistan a total of 261 to win the game. Mahmud brilliantly marshalled his troops, picking up three wickets, and constantly tinkering with fields to build pressure, but eventually fell to Inzamam-ul-Haq’s unbeaten 138, which led Pakistan to a one-wicket win.

After retiring in 2006, Mahmud served in various administrative and coaching roles with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), serving as manager and team director of the national side across multiple events and series. He has served as Chairman of BCB’s Game Development committee, overseeing youth cricket during a period where Bangladesh won the Under-19 World Cup in 2020. He has recently made his return as a coach and mentor for the age group levels of Bangladesh cricket.

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