Mushfiqur summoned to BCB meeting over ‘recent interviews’

Batter’s comments about being dropped from the T20I squad have come under the scanner

“We gave him a letter, so that we could meet and talk about his recent interviews,” Akram told ESPNcricinfo. “He came at 6pm. I was there, along with Jalal bhai, Sohel bhai and the CEO. We had a good chat. We wanted to remove any misunderstanding between him and the selectors. It wasn’t a show cause.”

“To be honest I haven’t reached the stage when I have to tell someone that I need rest,” Mushfiqur told Channel 24. “I am definitely available. Why won’t I be? I obviously had a disappointing World Cup. I needed an opportunity to bounce back.

“I was asked if I was available, to which I said of course I am available. But I was told that the selection committee, team management, head coach and team director took a collective decision to drop me.”

Mushfiqur made 144 runs at 20.57 with one half-century in the T20 World Cup. He didn’t look particularly out of form but some of his dismissals – when he missed reverse sweeps and scoops – at crucial stages of the innings became a topic of intense discussions back home.

Bangladesh responded to their poor showing at the World Cup by making six changes to the squad facing Pakistan in this three-match series. Mushfiqur, Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das were left out but the selectors and team management led by Russell Domingo, kept faith in Afif Hossain, who made only 54 runs in eight innings during the World Cup.