Lahore Qalandars appoint former BCB president Bulbul as high-performance advisor

Aminul Islam Bulbul, the former Bangladesh captain and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president, has been appointed advisor to Pakistan Super League franchise Lahore Qalandars. The franchise announced the move in a statement on Tuesday.

Bulbul will oversee the development work of Lahore’s high-performance centres. His brief covers player development, coaching practices and creating pathways for young cricketers to progress in the game.

The appointment fits a wider plan by Lahore to strengthen their grassroots programmes. The franchise also wants to expand its operations in Bangladesh, and it intends to draw on Bulbul’s experience in international cricket and administration.

Bulbul worked as the International Cricket Council’s cricket development manager for Asia from 2015 to 2025. Before that, he was a cricket development officer at the Asian Cricket Council.

He took over as BCB president on May 30, 2025, replacing Faruque Ahmed. He first said he would not contest the election, but he later returned to the post through a controversial vote.

His spell ended in April this year, when the National Sports Council removed him following the change of power in the country. Tamim Iqbal, who led the ad-hoc committee that took charge, is now the elected president.

Bangladesh boycotted the 2026 T20 World Cup during Bulbul’s tenure, a decision that drew severe criticism of the board. He was also known to share a close relationship with Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

As a player, Bulbul represented Bangladesh from 1988 to 2002 and captained the side at the 1999 World Cup. The right-handed batter scored a century in Bangladesh’s inaugural Test in 2000, making him the country’s first Test centurion.