Tigers reunite for 2018 challenges

The 32-member preliminary squad of the Bangladesh national cricket team on Wednesday started their preparation for the upcoming tri-nation one-day international tournament and bilateral series against Sri Lanka.
The tri-nation, which involves the hosts, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, will start on January 15 and will be followed by two Tests and as many Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka.
Apart from ODI skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza, opening batsmen Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, all other players of the preliminary squad attended the first day’s training camp at Mirpur.
Mashrafee is currently visiting Thailand for the treatment of his daughter while Tamim and Imrul have been granted leave by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
The first day’s activity was limited to multi-stage fitness test, also known as beep test which was performed successfully by all players except Mohammad Mithun with their as their average score hitting highly appreciative 11.5.
Mithun, who was hoping for a recall having last played for the national team in ICC World Twenty20, 2016, had to skip the enduring test as he was suffering from illness.
He is expected to attend beep test alongside Mashrafee, Tamim and Imrul later.
This was the first training session with the national team for some of the uncapped players like Nazmul Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Abu Jayed and Sadman Islam, who appeared most enthusiastic among all.
‘I had an adventurous first day morning, said all-rounder Mahedi, who starred for Khulna in the National Cricket League and Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League.
‘Everyone was sitting on their chairs but I couldn’t find one for mine, I was standing for a while, which made me nervous as well. My team-mates told me that it happens to every newcomer. Things will get normal after a few days,’ said Mahedi, who scored 177 in last NCL match to finish the tournament as second highest run-getter.
Off-spinner Mehedi Hasan, already an established player in the national side in his 20, was satisfied with their fitness test.
‘Our fitness level is very good. Our trainer told us that despite playing a lot of games, our fitness level remained at top. We are happy with our fitness level and we hope after work for a week we would be in an even better shape.
‘We have to play a lot this year and we have lots of challenges as well. And the most important thing is that everyone needs to be fit. If a team stays fit then everyone could deliver their best. Everyone in our team has the confidence and everyone is hopeful to do well,’ he added.