T20 World Cup 2024: Taskin Ahmed apologises for missing team bus after waking up late for India game

Taskin Ahmed was a notable absentee in Bangladesh's crucial Super Eight clash in the T20 World Cup 2024 against India last month. He was replaced by wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali in a match that India won by 50 runs in North Sound, Antigua.

A lot of fans were perplexed when Najmul Hossain Shanto announced at the toss that Taskin wasn't a part of the playing XI. The right-arm pacer was one of the most experienced players in the Bangladesh squad and had played against India on several occasions. However, he was left out of the side and the Indian batters amassed 196/5 in their 20 overs against a depleted Bangladeshi bowling line-up.

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Bangladesh eventually finished fourth in Group 1 at the end of the Super Eight stage after losing all three of their matches. A few days after the marquee event drew to a close, a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official revealed that Taskin woke up late from his sleep and missed the team bus ahead of the clash against the Men in Blue. He went on to confirm that the Dhaka-born had apologised to his teammates for his error.

"It is true that he (Taskin) joined the team later after missing the team bus," said the official on Monday. "But why he did not play only the coach can say because whether he was in the plan or not (against India) is something that can be answered by the head coach (Chandika Hathurusingha)," the official told Cricbuzz on request of anonymity.

"If there was any issue (between coach and the player) how he played the next game against Afghanistan," he said. "He apologized to his team mates and everyone for not being able to get up on time and that's it and no need to make an issue out of it," he added.

According to Cricbuzz, BCB decided to keep one of their officials from the touring party at the team hotel after failing to establish contact with the 29-year-old pacer, who was not answering his phone.

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While there are speculations that Hathurusingha left Taskin out of the team on disciplinary grounds, the 55-year-old refused to give an official word on the matter, expressing his eagerness to focus on the on-field performances.