Taskin Ahmed made a return to competitive cricket after a while, representing Central Zone in the ongoing 12th BCL One-Day tournament. The pacer had been ruled out during the later stage of the last Bangladesh Premier League. He was later diagnosed with a sinus infection, which also forced him to miss the Odommo Bangladesh T20 Cup.
On Thursday, Taskin delivered a solid performance as Central Zone defeated East Zone by five wickets to keep their hopes of reaching the final alive. The experienced Bangladesh pacer bowled 10 overs, conceding 46 runs and taking two wickets in Bogura.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Taskin said, “I was sick for a while, which is why I stopped bowling. I needed to gradually increase my bowling workload. That is why I sat out the first match and returned for the second.”
Taskin last played a 50-over match against the West Indies in Mirpur in October. Since then, a packed T20 schedule followed as Bangladesh prepared for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Reflecting on his return to the 50-overs format, Taskin said, “I played one-day cricket after a long time. We won the match, and I think I did okay with my bowling. I hope it will get better. Overall, it was a good outing.”
Taskin believes the BCL is providing an ideal platform to prepare for upcoming series. “This ongoing BCL ahead of the Pakistan series has been going really well. The conditions are competitive, and most matches have been closely contested. This will help us prepare for the Pakistan series physically, mentally and technically. I thank the BCB for organizing such a tournament,” he added.
