In Bangladesh’s pivotal Super Eight match against India in the T20 World Cup 2024, Taskin Ahmed was conspicuously absent last month. In a match that India won by 50 runs in North Sound, Antigua, he was substituted by wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali.
When Najmul Hossain Shanto revealed that Taskin wasn’t included in the playing XI during the toss, many supporters were confused. One of the most seasoned members of the Bangladeshi team, the right-arm pacer had faced India multiple times. He was left off the pitch, though, and the Indian batting attack scored 196/5 in their 20 overs against a severely injured Bangladeshi bowling attack.
After losing all three of its games, Bangladesh ultimately placed fourth in Group 1 at the conclusion of the Super Eight stage. Taskin woke up late and missed the team bus before the match against the Men in Blue, according to a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official, who made this revelation a few days after the major event came to an end. The Dhaka native has apologised to his teammates for his mistake, he continued.
“It is accurate that Taskin joined the team after failing to board the team bus,” the official stated on Monday. “However, the head coach Chandika Hathurusingha can answer whether he was in the plan or not (against India), so only the coach can say why he did not play,” the official, who asked to remain anonymous, told Cricbuzz.
“If there was any issue between coach and the player how he played the next game against Afghanistan,” he explained. “He apologised to his team mates and everyone for not being able to get up on time and that’s it and no need to make an issue out of it,” he said.
Cricbuzz claims that after attempting to get in touch with the 29-year-old pacer—who was not returning calls—BCB made the decision to retain one of their officials from the touring party at the team hotel.
Although there are rumours that Hathurusingha benched Taskin due to disciplinary issues, the 55-year-old declined to comment officially, stating that he preferred to concentrate on his on-field accomplishments.
India
