Dubai Capitals' coach Zaki collapsed to death ahead of BPL match

SYLHET: Dubai Capitals' assistant coach Mahbub Ali Zaki collapsed to death after suffering a heart attack ahead of their Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 match against Rajshahi Warriors here at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

The tragic incident occurred during the Capitals' pre-match routines at the venue as Zaki suddenly collapsed to the field. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The match went ahead as per the schedule, with the players, coaches and match officials observing a minute's silence to honour Zaki's services to Bangladesh cricket.

Following the match, which saw the Capitals prevail by five wickets against the Warriors, Zaki's funeral prayer was offered at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

For the unversed, Zaki was a respected figure in Bangladesh Cricket, especially for his work with the country's fast bowlers, most prominently with Taskin Ahmed after he was reported for a suspect bowling action in 2016.

Zaki was also employed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for around 17 years, serving as the specialist pace-bowling coach in the body's game development department.

"Following his playing career, Mahbub Ali Zaki dedicated himself to coaching and player development. He joined the BCB in 2008 as a High Performance coach and went on to make a significant contribution to the growth of pace bowling in the country through his work," the BCB said in a statement.

During his time with the BCB, Zaki was also tasked with liaising with the various overseas bowling coaches, who worked with the Bangladesh men's cricket team.