Bangladesh were forced to play the first one-day international against Sri Lanka on Monday without key players Tamim Iqbal and Mashrafee bin Murtaza after injuries ruled them out at the eleventh hour. Tamim was suffering from a stiff neck – an injury he picked up before the Twenty20 series in Chittagong – while Mashrafee pulled a right leg muscle during the warm-ups before the match.
There is, however, some controversy regarding Tamim, who played both the Twenty20 matches in Chittagong with the injury and aggravated it in the process.
Bangladesh Cricket Board officials gave contradictory statements about his injury, which served to add this episode to a long list of mysterious injuries throughout Tamim’s career.
A BCB official, who asked not to be quoted, said Tamim had requested a break in the first Twenty20 International but he was denied permission as it could have added fuel to the ongoing controversy over the vice-captaincy.
Tamim was under the media scanner after he resigned from the post of vice-captain following the appointment of Mashrafee as Twenty20 captain in the wake of an injury to Mushfiqur Rahim.
A BCB director closely involved with national team-related matters denied that Tamim had asked for a break.
‘Rather, Tamim insisted playing in this game despite the physio asking him to take rest,’ he said.
-With New Age input
