Tamim Iqbal resumes training after thigh injury

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal was back in the nets after successfully recovering from a thigh injury he sustained while playing in the warm-up game against Cricket South Africa Invitation XI on Thursday. After setting off for a quick single, Tamim experienced pain in his thigh which prompted him to immediately retire hurt.

The 28-year old did not participate in the rest of the game. He had a scan on his thigh to determine the extent of the damage and was monitored by the physio of the Bangladesh National Team Thihan Chandramohan. The visitors are training at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom ahead of the first Test which starts on Thursday. While Tamim did not join the team in the warm-up sessions nor the nets, he did some light warm up in the watchful eyes of the physio before taking on some throw-downs from head coach Chandika Hathurusingha.

Tamim set to play in first Test

He is deemed fit to play in the first Test match. Bangladesh are already without their premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has taken a 6-month sabbatical from the Test arena. The likes of Tamim and Mushfiqur have to take more responsibility in Shakib’s absence.

The visitors had a fine outing in the side game where everyone got a hit in the middle. Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim and Sabbir Rahman hit half-centuries during the course of the 3-day game. The bowlers too had a decent run and with the exception of Tamim Iqbal, everyone seems to have gotten acclimatized to the conditions.

Bangladesh is visiting the shores of South Africa after a 9-year gap and is a much-improved side from the last time. They recently beat Australia for the first time in Test cricket and will be looking to better their 2-0 defeat in South Africa in 2008.