|| CF Correspondent ||

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal revealed deciding to bat with one hand against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup was largely due to a five-second madness that gripped him in the dressing room.

Tamim Iqbal hosted a session with his close pal Mushfiqur Rahim in an Instagram live where the two veterans disclosed many secrets in front of the audience.

Tamim’s Asia Cup campaign ended abruptly in 2018 when he fractured his hand in the opening game against Sri Lanka after the left-handed batsman was struck on his left wrist by a Suranga Lakmal delivery in the second over of the game.

Tamim, who returned to the ground after a visit to the hospital, was seen with a sling around his left arm. However, towards the end of Bangladesh's innings with one wicket remaining, the 29-year old came out to bat again, with a heavy taping on the first two fingers of his left hand and his fractured wrist.

‘’At first, when I was on the way to the hospital, I was watching the score continuously. So I saw the fall of two, three wickets. You and Mithun Ali was having a good partnership this was the scenario before I was entering the chamber of the doctor. When I was returning I saw a collapse of two, three wickets again. Almost everyone got out. At that time when I entered the dressing room, I saw you were batting somehow and everything was going as usual. At that time when we were talking in the dressing room, suddenly Mashrafi Bhai told me to go for batting. I took it as fun at the first time. I said is he kidding, I'm having a bandage and our physio were also saying that are you mad or what. While we were having the discussion, we saw you were hitting the bowlers at that time, you were close to your hundred. While we were having the discussion I realized that everything was becoming serious gradually. Then we come upon an understanding that if Mushfiq happens to be on strike then I will go. Because the doctor told me not to even run with that injury. As it was a freshly broken and if I run then it might cause a displacement. Then I agreed that if he is on strike then I will go, as I don't have to do anything much except running. But unfortunately on the four or five number ball, Mustafiz got out,’’ said Tamim during an instagram live with Mushfiqur Rahim on Saturday.

‘’In all of our lives for a few seconds, a madness works in our mind. In those five seconds, you don't even know what decision you will take. That was my five-second. I was walking towards the field at that time our coach Steve Rhodes hurried towards me and halted me, asked me what are you doing, I said can I go, he said no this was not the plan, I said him that not to worry I'll handle it. Then he told me that then it will be your responsibility, I said to him okay no problem,’’ he said.

‘’I think that in that motion I was able to play that ball and also I think personally that was the easiest ball Suranga Lakmal have delivered which I've ever faced. If he had done a yorker or placed the bowl wicket to wicket then it would have been difficult for me to play that ball,’’ he said.