Dallas (US), June 4 (IANS): Bangaldesh are hoping for fast-bowler Taskin Ahmed to be fully fit ahead of their ICC Men's T20 World Cup opener against Sri Lanka on June 8 (IST) with the final call on right-arm pacer's availability will be made after his bowling session on Wednesday.
Taskin was named in the 15-member squad T20 World Cup even as he was recovering from a rib-fracture that he sustained during the fourth T20I against Zimbabwe and subsequently missed the three-match T20I series against USA as well as the warm-up game against India on June 1.
BCB's physio Bayjedul Islam Bayezid told reporters in USA that Taskin began his bowling on June 1 and was expected to have an outdoor bowling session on June 3.
"Taskin so far the way he progressed progressed really well. We have made some day-to-day plan for him. He was expected to bowl today (June 3) and we planned that he would bowl outdoor. Because it is raining we could not do that. Because according to the schedule today it was very important for him to bowl and that is the reason we brought him indoors. He bowled on the 1st and today on 3rd and we are happy that he is in a better position," Bayezid said.
"He is looking good and we are capturing every session to analyse and he is carrying a GPS meter where we can see how much effort he is giving and what is happening with him as we are monitoring him in details. If we see any fluctuation, we work with it but so far he is progressing well and today he gave better effort. On the next day, he is expected to give more effort," he added.
He further said the final call on Taskin's fitness and availability will be taken after analysing his bowling in a session scheduled June 5.
"Taskin has a good chance (for the first match) and that is reason he is in the World Cup squad and usually these kind of injuries take four weeks to heal and at times it can get a bit late but his progress is good," said Bayezid.
"Before (the opening game against Sri Lanka) he will have another bowling session on 5th and if we can do that outdoor it is very good and he is expected to bowl with full run-up and intensity, and after seeing that session we can clearly say whether he is available or not.
"It will totally depend on how he is bowling on 5th and only after seeing that decision will be made but till date he has no complains and based on that we hope that he will be better on 5th and later we can say where he stands," he said. We are hopeful that he will be hundred percent by seventh," he further said.
The team physio confirmed that Shoriful Islam set to miss the opening game against Sri Lanka but emphasised that it is too soon to determine whether he will be ruled out of the entire tournament.
The left-arm pacer sustained an injury to his left hand during the T20 World Cup warm-up match against India, resulting in a split in the webbing between his index and middle fingers which required six stitches.
During the last over of his spell when he tried to stop Hardik Pandya's drive on follow-through. The ball hit his bowling hand and the pacer was seemingly in pain. Bayezid took him off the field as his palm seemed to have swollen.
"Look for the group stage we have time till the 16th and we are hoping that he will recover before 16th and usually where these kind of stitches is done the healing is completed by seven to 10 days and later totally depends on players. Today we will open the stitch and see the healing and doctor given us some medication and suggestion.
"We will also follow that up and after three to four days to understand how he is healing and based upon that decision (from when Shoriful is available) will be made," Bayezid concluded.