DHAKA: Bangladesh bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin has requested a two-month break from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) due to mental health issues.
Dealing with depression, Saifuddin pulled out of Bangladesh ‘A’ team’s tour of Pakistan.
The all-rounder’s decision is a setback for Bangladesh as he was due to start in the second four-day match and subsequent one-day series against the Pakistan Shaheens.
The 27-year-old made the request after being selected in the Bangladesh A squad. Saifuddin’s absence from the Global T20 Canada, where he was signed by the Montreal Tigers, compounded his woes.
He was unable to participate in the Global T20 Canada as he was unable to obtain a visa due to the political unrest in Bangladesh.
He was supposed to play for the Montreal Tigers in the league. Saifuddin announced his decision through an email sent to the selectors earlier this month. In his message, he expressed his frustration at being left out of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 squad and his inability to participate in the ongoing Global T20 Canada 2024 league.
A member of the BCB selection committee was quoted by Cricbuzz as saying, “He sent me an email on July 30, after the A team was announced, expressing his mental anguish over missing the Global T20 and the last World Cup. He asked not to be considered for any form of cricket for the next two months and to take his letter in a positive light. I replied ‘recorded’ and mentioned that we need to talk when he returns to Dhaka to understand what he is going through.’
Meanwhile, BCB confirmed that Saifuddin suffered a rib injury on July 26 during a training session at a gym in Mirpur, shortly before his scheduled trip to Canada for the T20 league. As a result, the board did not allow the all-rounder to participate in the tournament.
A BCB medical board official said, “Saifuddin injured his rib and came to us just before his flight. After assessing him, we found it too risky to travel 20-22 hours with such pain. He came to BCB a day before his scheduled flight on July 24 after straining his pectoral muscle during exercise. Despite primary treatment, his pain persisted, leading to our decision not to allow him to participate in the Global T20.”
