Taskin Ahmed
Bangladesh national team pacer Taskin Ahmed on Saturday regretted his poor form in the recently-concluded Dhaka Premier League, which also deserted him in international cricket in the recent series.
Taskin played nine matches for eventual champions Abahani Limited and only picked up 16 wickets with an economy rate of 6.18, with his best bowling figure of 3-18 coming against relegated Kalabagan Krira Chakra.
His DPL form, coupled with his poor exploits in international cricket in recent time, cast a dark shadow in his career.
‘Obviously I’m not satisfied as I could not make it to the top-10 list of the bowlers in Dhaka Premier League. I picked up 16 wickets in nine matches but if it was 20-22 wickets with a good economy rate then I would have felt great,’ Taskin told the reporters.
‘I tried my best, but unfortunately it didn’t work. I hope the coming days will be great. I will work hard and try to fix my minor injuries. I hope if these issues are fixed then I will come back strongly.’
After a disastrous tour in South Africa, where Taskin was subject to some disdainful hammerings from local batsman in his one Test, three one-day internationals and two Twenty20s, the right-arm pacer has become unreliable for the national team.
He was axed from the team during the home series against Sri Lanka and though he was recalled for the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka, he had been given just two matches.
He picked up one-wicket apiece in two matches with an economy rate of 9.33 and 13.33 as he conceded 28 and 40 runs respectively against India and Sri Lanka.
Taskin’s inconsistency and high economy rate had been the talk of the town since the South Africa tour though he said this was just a bad patch.
‘It is true that for the last one year, the economy rate gone high and the consistency of performance went low. It started from the South Africa tour. I think I need to be fitter and work on my skills.’
‘As I have proved in the past that it is possible to play good cricket, I hope it will happen in future again. I’m going through a bad patch from everywhere. Things are not working out for me but I hope things will get better,’ he added.
Taskin said that he couldn’t work on the issues because he lacked times as he had to play back-to-back matches in domestic leagues but he would start working after finishing the first-class Bangladesh Cricket League.
‘I needed times to get improved, but I couldn’t manage it because of matches. We will get a break after finishing BCL then I will work on my fitness. And hope I will get some good result from it.’
Source: New Age.
