Bangladesh vice-captain and fast bowler Taskin Ahmed overslept and missed the team bus. A top official from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Cricbuzz that Taskin failed to answer calls ahead of the crucial match. He later apologized to the team for the oversight.
The match against India saw Bangladesh fielding only two pacers, with Taskin notably absent from the playing XI. This unexpected combination raised questions and led to speculation that head coach Chandika Hathurusingha had deliberately dropped Taskin.
“It is true that he (Taskin) joined the team later after missing the team bus,” the BCB official stated on Monday. “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.”
The official dismissed rumors of any discord between Taskin and the coach, emphasizing there was no reason to make an issue out of the incident. “If there was any issue (between the coach and the player), how did he play the next game against Afghanistan?” he questioned. “He apologized to his teammates and everyone for not being able to get up on time, and that’s it. There is no need to make an issue out of it.”
India triumphed over Bangladesh by a substantial 50 runs in the match held in Antigua. Ultimately, Bangladesh did not qualify for the semifinals of the tournament, which India won by defeating South Africa last week.