Saifuddin in doubt for Australia match

All-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin has withdrawn himself from the upcoming Bangladesh 'A' team's tour of Pakistan, saying he has been feeling 'mentally devastated' and requesting a two-month break from all cricketing activities.

Saifuddin, who was picked for the second four-day match of a two-match series and the following three-match one-day series against Pakistan 'A', expressed his desire to take a break through an email to the selectors earlier this month, informed a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official to The Daily Star on Wednesday.

In the email, he informed that he was devastated over not being picked for the ICC T20 World Cup squad in June, coupled with the fact that he could not fly to Canada to feature in the ongoing Global T20 due to the ongoing unrest in the country.

"Due to these matters, I want to keep myself away from all forms of cricket for the next two months. Hopefully, you will take the matter in a positive way," Saifuddin's email read.

However, it was learned that Saifuddin didn't mention the right rib injury that he sustained while attending an individual gym session in Mirpur two days before his Canada-bound flight, which was scheduled for late July.

Saifuddin was scheduled to represent the Montreal Tigers in the GT20 and he had also obtained a NOC from the BCB till August 8. Then, he was expected to join the 'A' team in Pakistan for the second four-dayer and one-day series.

"He observed the situation for a day [after the injury]. When he felt that his pain wasn't decreasing, he contacted our medical team. [BCB chief physician] Dr.Debashish [Chowdhury] checked him and gave him some instructions for treatment to assess his condition. We found severity in his pain," BCB physio Muzadded Sany told The Daily Star yesterday.

"We were not sure what type of injury it was. He planned to travel to Canada, and the 22-hour economy-class flight might have aggravated his injury.

"There would also be questions on us as to why we cleared him to play the tournament. So, we had asked him not to go to Canada to feature in the league," he added.

According to sources, Saifuddin's recent letter to BCB has irked the selectors as the cricketer had also skipped the Bangladesh Tigers' majority practice sessions in Sylhet and Chattogram last month.

"He only practised for nine days in Sylhet and four days in Chattogram out of a total of 45 days of Bangladesh Tigers' practice camp. He left the Chattogram camp after playing the first two white-ball practice matches citing that he had to attend his biometric for Canada visa," said an official on request of anonymity.

"He had also earlier taken leave citing family issues before Eid. He then sought extended leave which we also granted seeing his family emergency. Now he is talking about his reluctance about cricket," he concluded.

Saifuddin, who last represented Bangladesh in a T20I series against Zimbabwe in May this year, could not be reached for comments on the matter.

Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain and seamer Mohammad Saifuddin along with Shakib Al Hasan and Shoriful Islam were drafted to play in the upcoming edition of the Global T20 Canada, starting on July 25.  

Rishad was drafted by Toronto Nationals while Saifuddin was signed by Montreal Tigers. It will be the first appearance in a foreign franchise league for both players. Meanwhile, Shakib and Shoriful were roped in by Bangla Tigers Mississauga. 

In the previous season, Shakib and Liton Das were the only players to feature in the tournament. The duo faced off in the final and it was Shakib's Montreal Tigers who came out victorious against Liton's Surrey Jaguars. 

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan broke the jinx with the ball when he picked up two wickets in consecutive deliveries to seal the game for his side against Nepal in St. Vincent on Monday after going wicketless in the Tigers' first three matches in the ongoing T20 World Cup.

The 37-year-old came to bowl the last over of the match against Nepal, who needed 22 to win off the last six balls. Nepal had two wickets in hand and Shakib scalped both in his first two balls to seal the victory and end his unexpected drought.

The left-arm spinner will be on a hattrick whenever he comes into bowl against Australia and could become the seventh bowler to achieve the feat in T20 World Cups.

Shakib, who is the only player alongside India's Rohit Sharma to have played all editions of the event since its inception in 2007, is also one wicket away from becoming the first player to take 50 scalps in T20 World Cups. He started the tournament on 47 wickets and took four matches to add two more to his tally. Furthermore, he is two scalps away from becoming only the second player after Tim Southee (164) to reach 150 wickets in the format.

With 2532 runs in the format, if Shakib can reach the 150-wicket mark, he will be the first to take 150 scalps and score 2500 runs in T20Is.

Bangladesh lacked vitality in the Powerplay against Australia yesterday when the chance came to bat first at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, one of the best batting tracks on offer in the ongoing edition. 

The top-order's rudderless performances throughout the group-stage was enough evidence for the team management to work out a different approach but they opted for one that did not work.

In what appeared to be at least a 160-170 wicket, Bangladesh looked past putting early pressure on Australia's bowling attack.

The first six overs produced just 39 runs for the loss of one wicket, with opener Liton Das blocking to keep his end locked. During his 25-ball stay, it appeared he was finding rhythm but then the inability to find scoring options, managing just 16 runs, saw him eventually throw his wicket against Adam Zampa.

Bangladesh had in fact wanted to keep wickets in hand for the last six overs of the innings but they couldn't manage to get the momentum they wanted as wickets fell frequently.

Towhid Hridoy hit an impactful 28-ball 40 but there was no support from the other end from any other recognised batter.
When asked about the sluggish and negative approach in the Powerplay, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto revealed that it was what the team had wanted.

Read more

Will Bangladesh openers finally open up?

"We had a plan to play carefully by being watchful at the beginning because we were not getting good starts in the previous matches," Shanto told reporters in the post-match press conference.

"So, it was our plan to finish the first six overs by keeping wickets in hand which I think we were able to do. It could have been a little better but we were happy. I think, if I could have played a little more, till the 16-17th over, then we could have scored close to 160-170.

"I would also say that the wicket was a little slow in the beginning. It was not like the ball was not coming to the bat, but as I said it was important to have a set batter."

Bangladesh's unconventional ploy was to use Rishad Hossain's pinch-hitting ability to take out Zampa but he perished to Glenn Maxwell after a four-ball stay. Thus, two quick wickets between the ninth and 10th overs saw the rate of run-scoring take a dip.

The middle-order too did not perform as expected with the wicket offering grip which led to the dismissals of Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad.

Bangladesh failed to go full throttle at the death overs with, Hridoy the only spark during that phase.

Shanto finally managed to get a few runs but fell in the 13th over after a 36-ball 41 and Bangladesh lost all their momentum. The skipper himself was at a loss to explain why batters did not click.

"It is difficult to say why we were not able to play. I think everyone has the capability, people have played well in different places in the past. But I do not have an answer. Everyone has the freedom to play their natural game but somehow it is not happening," Shanto said.

Australia did exactly what the Tigers couldn't. They piled on the runs in the Powerplay at a brisk rate, showing where improvement is needed for the Tigers to challenge superior oppositions.