Just like a practice session: Taskin

In the midst of a vibrant atmosphere at Kangra airport, Taskin Ahmed, sporting a white t-shirt, smiled back at this reporter when asked how he was.

Taskin was waiting with the other members of the team to board a chartered Jet Air flight to Delhi, from where he was to take a different flight to Chennai while the rest would head to Kolkata to prepare for their opening Super 10 Group A match against Pakistan.

The 20-year-old pace bowler, reported in Dharamsala for a suspect action, was flying with Bangladesh's bowling coach Heath Streak for a thorough test at the ICC-designated centre in Chennai. He looked very confident of passing the test and termed it as a part of yet another training session.

“I'm going there and I will consider that process as a practice session that I was supposed to have tomorrow with the team,” said the baby-faced cricket with a big smile on his face.

Mushfiqur Rahim was sitting next to him and played the role of a good listener. A few metres away Soumya Sarkar sat quietly and when asked why he was looking a bit pale, he hardly answered. The young left-hander was understandably not in the mood to talk. Nasir Hossain was seen trying to snatch a cup of coffee from Streak, but in vain.

Tamim was happily complying with the request for a selfie. He was in a cheerful mood. Standing beside him was coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who with a smile on his face jokingly said it was embarrassing for him when Tamim gestured towards his head after scoring that magnificent hundred against Oman on Sunday.

Regarding Bangladesh's next game against Pakistan, Tamim said that it would be a tough game for both teams.

Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (L) takes a selfie along with his teammates before boarding their flight to Delhi from the Dharamsala airport. Having reached Delhi yesterday, they were scheduled to catch another flight to Kolkata, where they will meet Pakistan in the World T20 Super 10 stage tomorrow. PHOTO: COLLECTED

“We will enjoy the mental edge because of our recent success against them. But they are always a dangerous side. They are capable of doing extraordinary things. But we are also a very good side and if we are to win that game we need three or four players both in batting and bowling to play a big role,” said Tamim at the airport.

Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza once again said that it will be the most important game for Bangladesh in the tournament proper. Accepting that Eden Gardens is a venue where Bangladesh had never played before, Mashrafe said that his team's first challenge would be to quickly adjust themselves to this famed ground.

Sabbir Rahman, who was sitting with a neck rest, responded to a hello in a way that suits his batting, casually brilliant. He only asked that we pray for them, with his blue eyes fixing at the beautiful hilly landscape.

The only thing the Tigers avoided answering was whether the Pakistan game will mark the return of Mustafizur Rahman, the young pacer who interestingly made his international debut against Pakistan in the lone T20 match in Dhaka where he took two wickets in an easy win.