Pacer Mustafizur Rahman (L) bowls as batsman Tamim Iqbal looks during national cricket team’s match scenario training at the Sher-e Bangla National Stadium on Saturday. — New Age photo
A fully fit Tamim Iqbal on Saturday urged Bangladeshi players not to think much about in-form Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan ahead of their forthcoming three-match Twenty20 series in Dehradun, India, scheduled to start from June 3.
After the recent triumph in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe, the current number one bowler in Twenty20 format Rashid continued his great form in the ongoing Indian Premier League with his franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The 19-year old leg-spinner inspired his side to qualify for the final which will take place today by picking up second highest 21 wickets at an economy rate of 6.78.
However, Tamim believed that the Tigers should concentrate more on their game plans rather than Rashid which would be more useful to their side.
‘Not only Rashid, if you concentrate too much on a specific issue, then you can sometimes forget the things you can do. The reason behind that over thinking,’ Tamim told reporters at Mirpur.
‘It’s true that he is a good bowler. He may be passing his best time of his career…But it will be better for us thinking about ourselves instead of over thinking of him [Rashid],’ he added.
Tamim, who had been in a rehabilitation programme for the last two months, revealed that now he was physically in the best shape in last six months and hoped to perform well in the forthcoming series against Afghanistan.
Tamim initially suffered from some minor injuries on his left knee before the start of the Nidahas Trophy and the southpaw prolonged his injury while playing in the tri-series Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka in March.
The left-handed batsman took the flight to Pakistan straightway after completing the national duty in Sri Lanka to play the play-offs of the Pakistan Super League.
But he could manage to play only a single match before injury forced him to fly to Thailand to consult with surgeons over there.
The doctors suggested him to take at least four to six weeks to recover from his knee injury that effectively ruled him out from the field for two months.
‘I have recovered from my injury very well after being in the rehab for the last two months. My fitness is in better condition from any other time, at least if you consider the last six months,’ he said.
The 29-year old batsman, who left Dhaka on Saturday night, to represent ICC World XI for a charity match against the West Indies at Lord’s on May 31, also revealed his excitement about the match.
‘Obviously I’m feeling the excitement. It is really prestigious to participate in such matches. I hope that I will not only just participate, but also will be able to play well too,’ he added.
‘I hope that the arrangement will get success and we will be able to collect funds as much possible to help those grounds [West Indies] which were damaged by hurricanes.’
Source: New Age.