Shocking! Dhaka Capitals assistant coach collapses, dies moments before BPL match

Mahbub Ali Zaki, assistant coach of the Dhaka Capitals, died on Saturday after collapsing moments before his side’s Bangladesh Premier League fixture against the Rajshahi Warriors at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. He was 59.

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Zaki fell ill during the team warm-up, prompting immediate medical attention from the Dhaka Capitals support staff, who administered CPR before he was taken by ambulance to Al Haramain Hospital. Doctors later confirmed his death. The Bangladesh Cricket Board’s chief physician, Debashish Chowdhury, verified the incident, with team officials stating that Zaki had not complained of any health issues beforehand.



The tragedy cast a shadow over the matchday, with players from Sylhet Titans, Noakhali Express and Chattogram Royals also rushing to the hospital on hearing the news. Both teams observed a minute’s silence during the innings break in tribute. The BCB, in a post on X, hailed Zaki’s lasting impact on fast bowling in the country, while the Dhaka Capitals expressed their grief and extended condolences to his family.

A former fast bowler, Zaki represented Comilla District in the National Cricket Championship and featured for prominent clubs including Abahani and Dhanmondi in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League. Following his playing career, he transitioned into coaching and joined the BCB in 2008 as a High Performance coach. He became a respected figure in Bangladesh’s pace-bowling setup, notably assisting Taskin Ahmed during the scrutiny of the pacer’s bowling action at the 2016 T20 World Cup in India.


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