Taskin Ahmed's ban made us change our whole game plan: Mashrafe Mortaza

Bangladesh’s journey in the World T20 ended after they suffered their 4th consecutive loss in the tournament. The Bangla Tigers lost their final encounter of the Super 10 stage to New Zealand couple of days back.

Skipper Mashrafe Mortaza today in a press conference has blamed the suspension of two of his key bowlers was the main reason for their poor performance. for illegal actions for his side’s exit from the World Twenty20.

Skipper Mashrafe Mortaza today in a press conference has blamed the suspension of two of his key bowlers was the main reason for their poor performance. for illegal actions for his side’s exit from the World Twenty20.

Left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny and seamer Taskin Ahmed were suspended by the ICC in the group stages for illegal action. The Bangladeshis also made a appeal to the ICC to have Taskin’s suspension but it was overturned.

“In the last eight matches, Taskin’s economy rate was the best in the world. So it was always difficult to lose him,” Mortaza said at Dhaka airport after returning home.

“The way he was bowling, we had our plan set around him. We had to change the entire game plan. Before the Australia game when he was banned we could not hold our emotions due to this shock.

“We accepted that Sunny’s action has problems. Even Sunny himself accepted it. But Taskin’s ban was a complete shock for us,” he said.

Bangladesh came into the tournament in tremendous form after finishing as the runners-up to India in the Asia Cup. But simply could not repeat the same performance in India.

They qualified for the group stages after commanding wins over the Netherlands and Oman, and Mortaza said the tournament had been a good learning experience.

“From now on, whoever we face, if we don’t keep making small mistakes, it will not be easy to beat us. This is what I believe. We could not do this in Twenty20 in the past.”