The Bangladesh team remained unfazed by skipper Shakib Al Hasan's unexpected trip to Dhaka during their World Cup campaign, and they appreciated his dedication to improving his technique, as stated by Taskin Ahmed on Friday.
Shakib made the journey to Dhaka this week, where he reportedly engaged in a three-hour net session with his childhood mentor before returning to Kolkata, where Bangladesh is set to face the Netherlands on Saturday.
When questioned about whether Shakib's departure had a negative impact on team morale, Taskin told reporters, "No, actually, it hasn't affected us much. I believe that after his return, we had a very productive time. He left to work on certain improvements because he felt that his batting form was not up to his expectations."
Kolkata is hosting its first World Cup game on Saturday, and Taskin anticipates a favourable pitch. He remarked, "Historically, when I've played here before, the pitch has been favourable for batting. The outfield is quite speedy. However, I believe that both bowlers and batsmen will find some assistance from the pitch."
Taskin also praised Bangladesh's improved fielding during the tournament, attributing part of their success to their former fielding coach, Ryan Cook. Cook now serves as the head coach for the Dutch team, and their captain, Scott Edwards, acknowledged his valuable contributions, especially in terms of analysis.
Edwards emphasised the need for their top-order batsmen to step up and contribute more to the team's performance. He expressed optimism that the middle and lower-order players have been making valuable contributions, and with improved top-order performance, the team can aim for higher scores in the tournament.
