||CF Correspondent ||

Dhaka Platoon coach Mohammad Salahuddin said on Saturday that they are expecting to have Mashrafee bin Mortaza from the start of Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League, leaving behind doubt due to his injury.

Mashrafee began bowling in the Platoon nets in the BCB academy premises on Saturday and did not complain about any back problem though he was seen working with the physio after completing his stint.

The national ODI skipper though did not extremely deadly considering he is returning to cricket after a long gap but according to Salahuddin, it won’t take long for him to regain his confidence considering he had a huge amount of experience under his belt.

“I think he is available for the whole tournament and that is why we picked him,’’ Platoon’s coach Mohammad Salahuddin told reporters after their training session at the academy premises.

“He bowled today after long time. Maybe there will be some complication with rhythm but I think it will be fine after bowling some days,’’ he said.

“The biggest advantage is his experience. You can’t overlook the experience. So when he will play, he will play with hundred percent,’’ he said.

“When he bowled there was no pain. I think everything is fine,’’ he added.

Dhaka Platoons gave Mashrafe Mortaza a lifeline as they picked up the four-time BPL winner late during the players' draft for the upcoming edition of the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League at a city hotel on Sunday (November 17).

Mortaza, the current ODI skipper, did not find any takers until the fourth round before Platoon decided to pick him as their second A+ category player after grabbing Tamim Iqbal earlier.

Salahuddin said that he is seeing Mashrafee as the most motivated cricketer in their set-up and feel that he will deliver when it is required during the BBPL that is scheduled to start from December 11.

“I think he is more motivated than any other members of our team,’’ said Salahuddin.

“He has not started practicing today. He was trying for quite some time to become fit. And no one has noticed that. He has lost weights and trying to be fit. I think he is more motivated than me” he added.

When quizzed, why the skipper’s inclusion with the team came later, Salahuddin revealed it was regulation that they had to follow in terms of singing the A category players.

“Because of the process we had to pick players, we could not take two A class players together.  That’s why we did not pick him first but if we had that choice to pick initially, we would have picked him 

Tamim, another A category singing of the star dusted Dhaka team, has also been out of the games after the Tigers’ tour in Sri Lanka, but Salahuddin is confident that the opener will be back in form in time with the experience they have.