Saifuddin desperate to play Asia Cup
Pace bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin is chomping at the bits to make his comeback to the national team and take part in the upcoming Asia Cup, a tournament that has eluded him all his career, reports news agency BSS.
But his participation in the Asia Cup is still in limbo as he is yet to prove his match fitness after recovering from his latest injury.
“Every player wants to play the Asia Cup and I am no exception,” Saifuddin told reporters in Dhaka on Monday.
“I’m unlucky that I couldn’t even play in the Under-19 Asia Cup. I have already played two ICC events with the senior team but am yet to take part in an Asia Cup. So I am really desperate to play the tournament. If get the opportunity, it will be a great news for me,” he added.
After taking 22 wickets in 14 matches in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL), Saifuddin was in line to don the national jersey again.
The selectors duly named him in the West Indies-bound squad but that old shoulder injury returned to haunt him and he missed the Caribbean flight.
“Skipping the West Indies series was my call. Medical team pushed the ball to my court. But it seemed to me that I wouldn’t be able to give my 100 per cent. I told that to the medical team,” said Saifuddin who has been out of the national team since getting injured during the 2021 ICC Twenty20 World Cup.
“I think it was the right decision. Now I feel well. I had worked on many things in the last one month. Hopefully, it will pay off when I get the opportunity to play again.”
Saifuddin has resumed bowling practice and on Monday, the right-arm pacer bowled at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
Saifuddin said, “I had gone to Delhi for some treatment a few days ago. Then I was on bed rest for one week. After that I did some free hand exercises for one week. It has been two days since I started the skill work. Physio Bayezid bhai watched my bowling today (Monday). He liked what he saw.”
The real test of his fitness, however, will be in Khulna where a match between the High Performance unit and Bangladesh Tigers will be held. Saifuddin will play for the Bangladesh Tigers. If Saifuddin proves himself in this unofficial match in Khulna, he is almost sure to return to the national team.
Saifuddin is also very confident about his return.
“I haven’t met Debashish da (BCB’s chief physician) yet. Physio Bayezid bhai observed my condition. He’ll watch my bowling tomorrow (Tuesday) also. If everything goes well then I will go to Khulna to play the practice match (between HP and Bangladesh Tigers).”