Taskin Ahmed apologizes for oversleeping and missing team bus for T20 World Cup match against India

Bangladesh's fast bowler Taskin Ahmed was absent from the crucial Super Eight match against India in the T20 World Cup 2024 last month. He was replaced by wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali in a game that India won by 50 runs in North Sound, Antigua.

Fans were surprised when Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto announced at the toss that Taskin was not in the playing XI. Taskin, one of the most experienced players in the squad, had played against India multiple times before. Without him, the Indian batters scored 196/5 in 20 overs against a weakened Bangladeshi bowling lineup.

After losing all three matches in the Super Eight stage, Bangladesh finished fourth in Group 1. A few days after the tournament ended, a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official revealed that Taskin had overslept and missed the team bus before the match against India. The Dhaka-born bowler later apologized to his teammates for the mistake.

"It is true that he (Taskin) joined the team later after missing the team bus," said the official on Monday. "But why he did not play only the coach can say because whether he was in the plan or not (against India) is something that can be answered by the head coach (Chandika Hathurusingha)," the official told anonymously.

"If there was any issue (between coach and the player) how he played the next game against Afghanistan," he further added. 

"He apologized to his team mates and everyone for not being able to get up on time and that's it, and no need to make an issue out of it," the official explained.

The BCB reportedly kept one of their officials at the team hotel after failing to contact Taskin, who was not answering his phone.

While there are rumors that Coach Hathurusingha left Taskin out of the team for disciplinary reasons, the 55-year-old coach has not given an official statement on the matter. He expressed his desire to focus on the team's performance on the field.