The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has appointed Mamatha Maben as coach of the Bangladesh women's cricket team yesterday.

The former India women's cricket team captain, who arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a three-month assignment, became the first foreign coach for the Bangladesh women's cricket team.

“Initially we made a three-month deal with her (Mamatha Maben) and will review her performance before signing a

long-term deal,” said Manzur Ahmed, CEO of the BCB yesterday.

The BCB went for a foreign coach to make sure the women's team can fulfill the minimum target of finishing in the top six of the 10-team World Cup qualifiers to be held in Bangladesh in November this year. Bangladesh will get ODI status if they can finish among the top six teams and a place in the World Cup proper if they finish among the top four.

Mamatha Maben, who had played for India from 1993 to 2005, was very much optimistic about the Bangladesh women's team.

“I have seen players in the Asian Games and my observation is that they have the potential. I will try to fine tune their skills rather than working with their techniques as the time is very short," said Mamatha Maben in her first reaction to the reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

“It is very important to qualify for the upcoming World Cup but it would not be an easy task at all,” she added.