On Friday, October 2, the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced that Malibongwe Maketa had been appointed assistant coach of the men’s national team. The 46-year-old South African will hold the office until November 2028, filling the void left by Mohammad Salahuddin.
Salahuddin was selected to head the board’s High Performance Unit, therefore he did not completely exit the BCB organization. With a Level 4 coaching certificate from Cricket South Africa, Maketa offers more than 20 years of expertise in various game levels to his new role. I’m happy to take on the role of assistant coach for the national squad of Bangladesh. In a statement cited, Maketa stated, “I am sincerely appreciative of the trust and confidence placed in me by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, and I look forward to positively contributing to the team’s success.”
What background does Malibongwe Maketa bring to the coaching team in Bangladesh?
Maketa has coached South African cricket at multiple levels. He has gained extensive experience throughout age groups and senior pathways as head coach of South Africa A, South Africa U19, the National Academy, and the Warriors franchise. Additionally, he led South Africa to the ICC U19 World Cup semifinals, albeit the exact tournament’s edition is still unknown based on the material that is currently available.
Maketa worked as a senior coach for South Africa from 2017 to 2019, which included the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England. In those two years, the squad won bilateral series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, while the coaching staff helped them win Test series against Australia and India.
His ability to build and manage teams outside of the senior international setup was demonstrated most recently when he led South Africa Emerging to the Division 2 title at the CSA One-Day Cup in the 2023–2024 season.I am excited to work with Phil [Simmons] and the rest of the coaching staff to help bring out the best in the players and encourage their ongoing growth. Our team is young and dynamic. Once again, I’m grateful for the chance. Maketa continued, “I am thrilled to start this journey and support the Bangladesh National Team.”
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Maketa will join the Bangladeshi team in the United Arab Emirates, where they have a full program. In addition to a three-nation ODI series with Afghanistan and Zimbabwe as the other two participants, Bangladesh is slated to play Afghanistan in a one-off Test.
Due to the consecutive assignments, Maketa does not gradually transition into the role during a slower time; instead, she immediately begins an active international program. Prior to the UAE tour, his employment completes the current coaching staff led by head coach Phil Simmons.
