Star all-rounder Shakib al Hasan is likely to rest Saturday, a day ahead of Bangladesh’s first game in the T20 World Cup qualifiers against Scotland.
The Bangladesh team management is however, not worried, given that the cricketer has been playing in the Indian Premier League, rather believes Shakib is more than ready having played the tournament.
Member of the national selection panel Habibul Bashar informed that Shakib will travel to Muscat from Dubai by road Friday night following his team Kolkata Knight Riders' final against Chennai Super Kings.
Bashar, who is travelling with the team in the Middle East, said the International Cricket Council and the IPL franchise have jointly arranged Shakib’s transfer to the team hotel in Muscat without breaking the bio-bubble that he has been part of in the KKR camp.
“This way he [Shakib] will not require any quarantine. He will travel by road to avoid the risk in public flight. He was part of the bubble in IPL and can directly join the Bangladesh team bubble,” said Bashar to the media Friday in Muscat.
“He is most likely to travel at night [following their final game] or early morning. The ICC and the IPL franchise are looking into this. He will for surely join the team [Saturday]. But it is not yet sure if he will be part of practice session or not [ahead of our first game in T20 World Cup]. He has been playing matches, so he might not go to the practice. There is nothing to worry about,” the former Bangladesh captain added.
Travel time from Dubai to Muscat, which are 452km apart, is around four and a half hours.
Mahmudullah and his troop returned to Muscat Thursday night to participate in the qualifier stage and will face Scotland in their first game Sunday at Al Amerat Cricket Stadium.
The team will then face Oman and Papua New Guinea on Tuesday and Thursday respectively at the same venue.