Key cricketers are managing their injuries - Mashrafee
Pic: Cricfrenzy.com
|| CF Correspondent ||
Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza is confident that his team mates will give their best despite managing their respective injuries.
Bangladesh received quite a severe blow after losing Tamim Iqbal in the opening game of the tournament as he sustained finger injuries against Sri Lanka.
Injuries remained a constant headache for Tigers as Mushfiqur Rahim is nursing his rib-injury while Sakib al Hasan is managing his finger injury to remain available in the Asia Cup.
The last inclusion in the list looks to be none other than Mustafizur Rahman as he took the risk of his career to bowl against Afghanistan despite sustaining cramp and as a result it forced him to take medical advice for taking part ahead in the competition.
While heat remained a major concern for Tigers as they are unable to adjust with the hot and humid condition, according to the inspirational skipper there are few other areas like injuries that are also coming into the spotlight as the tournament is coming to the near end.
“To be honest it is difficult to play here continuously and it is useless to say if we are losing. There were lot of talks regarding the way we lost the match but people don’t understand the obstacles created by hot weather,’’ Mashrafee was quoted in BD News 24 ahead of the semifinal clash against Pakistan when his attention was drawn regarding the recovery plan of Tigers.
‘’There is no point trying to make them realize about it either. We have to win and that is the only reason we plan irrespective of how we are going through inside,’’ he said.
‘’It is difficult to recover totally and the body gets exhausted in a very short time inside the field but we are not putting that as an excuse,’’ he said.
Mashrafee added that it was the most demanding tour of his international career considering they are totally unaware on how to handle the heat and humidity.
‘’I did not face this kind of challenge in my entire career. We are used to play in 29 or 30 degree at our back yard and even than we have cramp at times,’’ said Mashrafee.
‘’Here regularly three to four players are having cramps. Afghans are used to play in this condition,’’ he said adding that injuries had also played a big part in the Asia Cup campaign.
‘’One of front line member went back breaking his finger while three of our most important cricketers are managing their injuries,’’ said Mashrafee.
Mushfiq is wearing tape inside while Sakib is managing his finger injury while the risk Mustafiz took was an example as he decided to give his best shit after sustains the cramp[ against Afghanistan],’’ he added.
Mashrafee urged everyone to keep their expectation in limit considering the overall condition at the dressing room.
In that sense it is really tough because you can make a comeback if you fail but when the body fails it is hard to deliver on the back of mental toughness,’’ Mashrafee pointed out like a seasoned campaigner and along the way also praised Pakistan for their recent rise in the ODI format despite Bangladesh clinched series against Pakistan at their own den by a clean sheet.
‘’This Pakistan is better than the earlier side as they have bowlers like Shadab and Hasan Ali and you can’t judge them by two losses against India,’’ said Mashrafee.
‘’They are playing good cricket of late but that does not mean that we cannot play better [than them],’’ he added.
