Young fast bowler Nahid Rana has withdrawn himself from the upcoming Pakistan tour, while Mustafizur Rahman—currently playing in the IPL—will join the Bangladesh team there.
Following the recent India-Pakistan conflict, which led to the suspension of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on May 9, Nahid Rana, who returned from the PSL, has decided not to travel to Pakistan with the national side. Mustafizur, representing Delhi Capitals in the IPL, will link up with the squad in Pakistan.
Alongside Nahid, Bangladesh’s fielding coach James Pamment and strength and conditioning coach Nathan Kiely will also not travel to Pakistan.
Nazmul Abedin, BCB’s Head of Cricket Operations, confirmed that a few others also had concerns, but eventually agreed to make the trip.
The PSL had been suspended due to the rising tension between India and Pakistan. Reports also surfaced of a drone attack near the Rawalpindi Stadium, one of the tournament venues. At the time, Bangladesh cricketers Nahid Rana and Rishad Hossain were playing in the PSL. With the war situation escalating, their return home was uncertain. Eventually, the PCB arranged special departures for all foreign players, including the two Bangladeshis.
Although the war has since ended, Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan remained in doubt. Following a meeting between the cricket boards of both countries in Dubai, it was officially announced on Tuesday that Bangladesh would proceed with the tour, albeit with a reduced schedule.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon after returning from abroad, Nazmul Abedin stated that Nahid made the decision due to his experience in the PSL.
“Given the kind of incidents Nahid Rana and Rishad had to face, if it traumatizes someone, you can’t blame them. That’s probably why he withdrew,” he said.
“Considering the recent events between India and Pakistan, it’s natural to feel uneasy. That may have influenced his decision. Since Nahid was physically there, he likely faced a lot, and that might have pushed him to make this choice. The other two (Kiely and Pamment) don’t want to face such situations. They simply want to avoid this kind of environment, and that’s their reason.”
Nazmul also mentioned that Rishad had some concerns too:
“It’s not like Rishad didn’t feel uneasy. But things have slowly started to normalize. Our head coach himself is going, which probably inspired others to reconsider and join the team.”
There will be no replacement added for Nahid in the squad, said the BCB official. However, Mustafizur Rahman, who left the UAE series early to participate in the IPL, will be available for the Pakistan series.
Mustafizur’s team, Delhi Capitals, has two matches left in the group stage. If they lose to Mumbai Indians on Wednesday, their IPL campaign will come to an end. Even if Delhi makes the playoffs, Mustafiz won’t be staying back.
Bangladesh will play three matches in Pakistan on May 28, May 30, and June 1.
A special security team from Bangladesh will also be in Pakistan during the series to ensure the team’s safety, according to the BCB.
