Bangladesh’s pace bowler and T20I vice-captain, Taskin Ahmed, recently apologised to his teammates for missing the team bus ahead of their crucial Super 8 match against India in the ICC T20 World Cup. The incident led to speculation and raised questions about team unity and discipline within the Bangladesh camp.
BCB official confirms incident
A top official from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), speaking anonymously to Cricbuzz, confirmed that Taskin Ahmed missed the team bus because he overslept.
The official revealed that Taskin did not answer his phone, prompting the team management to leave an official behind at the hotel to ensure he joined the team later.
Bangladesh Cricket Team selection controversy
The decision to drop Taskin Ahmed from the playing XI against India sparked further controversy. Bangladesh opted to field only two pace bowlers for the match, raising eyebrows among fans and analysts. Speculation suggested that head coach Chandika Hathurusingha might have excluded Taskin as a disciplinary measure. However, the BCB official refuted this, stating that the coach alone can explain the selection decisions.
“It is true that he [Taskin] joined the team later after missing the team bus,” the official said. “But why he did not play only the coach can say because whether he was in the plan or not [against India] is something that can be answered by the head coach [Chandika Hathurusingha].”
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Taskin Ahmed apology
Despite missing the bus, Taskin Ahmed played in the subsequent game against Afghanistan, which the BCB official cited as evidence that there was no lasting issue between the player and the coach. Taskin apologised to his teammates for his tardiness, and the official urged that the incident not be blown out of proportion.
“He apologised to his teammates and everyone for not being able to get up on time, and that’s it. There’s no need to make an issue out of it,” the official added.
Coach Hathurusingha focused
When contacted for comments, head coach Hathurusingha declined to discuss the incident, emphasising the importance of focusing on on-field performances.
As Bangladesh move forward, the incident with Taskin Ahmed serves as a reminder of the challenges teams face in maintaining discipline and unity under the pressures of international competition.
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