Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed has turned down all the news of him being late to the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua during their game against India, being the reason for him not featuring in that game in the recently concluded ninth edition of the T20 World Cup in 2024.
Many eyebrows were raised when the national side went without their main pacer- Taskin Ahmed against such a strong side, where the track was also supposed to help him with the speed and bounce.
But later at the end of the World Cup, it was known that the bowler was sleeping and was late to report to the logistic manager as they needed to go, and also didn’t have breakfast with the team on the match day.
‘I wasn’t going to play anyway’- Taskin Ahmed
By the time Taskin Ahmed reached the ground, the toss was about to be done in five to 10 minutes, and there was no possibility of making him involved in the playing eleven against the neighbors.
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The veteran all-rounder of the side Shakib Al Hasan has spoken about the incident and narrated everything that took place on that date. He informed me that the team bus on the Bangladesh side doesn’t stop for anyone and because the 29-year-old was late to reach there, he was asked to come on the next car.
‘The team bus starts at a certain point and there is a rule for cricketers that the team bus does not stop for anyone and if anyone misses it in that case he comes in the next car.’ Shakib recalled the incident of that game day against India. ‘The manager’s car or a taxi is there and the support of transport was difficult in the West Indies.’
The left-hander also observed that as the reason behind not picking up Taskin Ahmed in the playing eleven.
‘When Taskin arrived it was five to 10 minutes before the toss and certainly it was difficult to pick him at that point in the team and it was difficult for him as well.’ Shakib elaborated.
The 37-year-old also enlightened that later in the dressing room the Dhaka-born came and apologised to the team members and the coaching staff of the side. The sorry state was accepted because this was a purely unintentional mistake on his side.
‘Taskin apologized to the team for that afterwards and everyone in the team took it normally because a man can mistake and anyone can commit unintentional mistake and he accepted it and the thing ended at that point of time.’ Shakib briefed out.
The right-arm quick pacer however has denied all this news as he stated that there was no way he was going to take part in that contest. According to Taskin Ahmed, as the Bangladesh publication Ajker Patrika has revealed that the pacer reached the ground almost 30-40 mins before the toss, despite missing the team bus.
‘I was a little late, but I reached at the ground before the toss. “I arrived at the ground around 30-40 minutes before the toss. I missed the team bus.’ Taskin Ahmed told that local newspaper as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. ‘The bus left the hotel at 8.35 am. I left for the ground at 8.43 am. I almost reached the ground with the bus.’
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He claimed the other end of the spectrum noting down that the whole occurrence didn’t make any difference in the whole game.
‘It is not as if they didn’t pick me up because I arrived late. I wasn’t going to play anyway.’ Taskin Ahmed concluded.
Bangladesh reached the ‘super eight’ stage of the tournament, but despite having a chance of making their way to the semifinal, they failed to grab the chance.