Bangladesh appoint Maketa as assistant coach

Bangladesh has bolstered its coaching ranks by appointing seasoned South African mentor Malibongwe Maketa as assistant coach of the national men's cricket team on a two-year contract, with the 46-year-old due to begin his tenure during the forthcoming Test series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the appointment in an official release on Friday, with Maketa's contract running from October 2026 to November 2028. A Cricket South Africa Level 4 coach, he brings more than two decades of experience spanning domestic franchises and international cricket. Moreover, he has served as head coach of the Warriors, South Africa A, the national Under-19 team and the National Cricket Academy. Previously, he worked as an assistant coach of South Africa's senior men's side from 2017 to 2019 and was part of the Proteas' coaching staff at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.

During that period, he was also involved in notable Test-series victories over India and Australia, alongside successful bilateral campaigns against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Furthermore, Maketa has earned a formidable reputation for nurturing emerging talent and preparing players for the rigours of international cricket. Notably, under his guidance, South Africa Emerging won the CSA One-Day Cup Division Two title in the 2023–24 season, while the Under-19 side reached the semi-finals of the ICC Under-19 World Cup.

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Expressing enthusiasm about his new role, Maketa said he was grateful for the BCB's confidence and eager to work alongside head coach Phil Simmons and the wider coaching staff. He added that the priority would be to maximise the young squad's potential and facilitate their sustained development.