Just one day after the Bangladesh squad for the Pakistan T20Is was announced, Mushfiqur Rahim has disputed the claim that he has been rested.
Mushfiqur said he didn’t “need rest” and told the team management he was available, but they took a combined decision to drop him.
“To be honest I haven’t reached the stage when I have to tell someone that I need rest,” Mushfiqur told Channel 24 on Wednesday. “I am definitely available. Why won’t I be? I obviously had a disappointing World Cup. I needed an opportunity to bounce back.
“I was asked if I was available, to which I said of course I am available. But I was told that the selection committee, team management, head coach and team director took a collective decision to drop me.”
Here’s the Chief Selector’s Statment
“We have four back-to-back Test matches against Pakistan and New Zealand,” Minhajul had said. “He is a key player. He is one of our best players. Tamim Iqbal is already injured. He is in doubt for the Test series. We want our best player to give his best during the Test series, so after consulting extensively with the team management, we have decided to rest him. It is only for the Pakistan series. He will be available later.“
To summarise it for you, two days ago, Minhajul Abedin, the chief selector, had stated that Mushfiqur was “rested” because they needed him fresh for the two Tests against Pakistan after the three T20Is starting on Friday.
Captain Mahmudullah says it was team management’s decision
Mahmdullah kept himself away from the decision, and said that the team management (of which he is a part, as captain) should be asked the question.
“I think it’s best to ask the team management,” he said. “I wasn’t part of the decision. I don’t know what Mushfiq has said. I can only comment after I have seen what he has said. It is completely the team management’s decision. I don’t want to talk about it. All I can say is that we will miss Mushfiq.”
Let’s leave the World Cup performance behind – Mahmudullah
Ahead of opening match, Mahmudullah said he was looking forward instead of thinking about the World Cup.
“If we keep talking about what has happened, it might create a negative effect,” he said. “I am really focused on the T20 match [coming up], how I can contribute as an individual player, and make sure everyone else contributes too
“We are taking everything positively. Definitely, Pakistan is a major T20 side, which makes it a challenge for us.”
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