Mickey Arthur to Coach Rangpur Remotely from Derbyshire

Mickey Arthur, the former coach of Pakistan, is set to guide Rangpur Riders in their title defense at the 2025 Global Super League (GSL). He will perform his duties remotely, as he is committed to Derbyshire in the English County Championship.

Arthur, who previously led Rangpur to victory in the GSL’s inaugural edition last year, will operate from Derbyshire, which is approximately 7,500 kilometers from the tournament site in Guyana.

Team director Shanian Taneem stated that despite his physical absence, Arthur will actively participate in the team’s campaign by offering key strategic insights and maintaining consistent communication with the squad.

During a jersey unveiling ceremony held in Dhaka, Shanian mentioned, “Mickey is unavailable presently, as the English County Championship is in progress and he is the coach of Derbyshire County Cricket Club.”

“Therefore, we have selected Greg Smith to be our head coach. Mickey has complete faith in him. Mickey will keep in touch with the players and continue to provide his advice. Under Mickey’s direction, Greg will manage the team.”

Rangpur Riders will participate as defending champions in the GSL’s second edition, which begins on July 10.

The other participating franchises include the Dubai Capitals, Central Stags, Guyana Amazon Warriors, and Hobart Hurricanes.

“Mickey Arthur served as our head coach for the previous Global Super League and the most recent Bangladesh Premier League season. We have complete faith in his skills. While assembling our squad, we were always in contact with him, talking about which players would perform well on Guyana’s pitches.”

Nurul Hasan will remain the captain of Rangpur, a position he has held since 2023. Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, and Harmeet Singh are among the important players carried over from the previous campaign.

Their international roster consists of West Indies power-hitter Kyle Mayers, South African wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, Pakistani all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed, and Afghan opener Ibrahim Zadran.

Shakib Al Hasan, a seasoned Bangladeshi all-rounder, is noticeably absent from the lineup. Even though the GSL is being hosted in the West Indies, Shakib has remained in the United States since the Awami League administration fell the previous year.

Shanian commented, “Shakib Al Hasan remains among the most valuable players, not just in Bangladesh but also in any franchise league globally.”

“It’s not that we didn’t want him on the team, but we’re aware of the country’s current situation. Shakib can still start for any franchise. However, considering the present circumstances, we were unable to include him in the squad.”

Rangpur Riders will kick off their campaign on the tournament’s opening day, playing the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the evening match on July 10.

Rangpur Riders Squad for GSL 2025

Nurul Hasan (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Naim, Mahidul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Mohammad Saif, Abu Hider, Rakilbul Hasan, Yasir Ali, Kyle Mayers, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ibrahim Zadran, Akif Javed, Iftikhar Ahmed, Harmeet Singh, Khawaja Nafay.