Seven Bangladesh national team cricketers fly to perform the holy Umrahon Thursday before the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The list includes five members of the World Cup squad as Taskin Ahmed, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Afif Hossain Dhruvo and Naeem Sheikh. Besides, Taizul Islam and Zakir Hasan also went with them.
They left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia from HazratShahjalal International Airport at 2.30 pm on Thursday. After completing Umrah, these seven cricketers will return home on September 21.
The players will have the opportunity to spend vacation time more than a week after back from Umrah. After the holiday, they will join the T20 World Cup camp.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is scheduled to go to Oman on October 4 to camp for the World Cup.
In addition to the conditioning camp, the Tigers are scheduled to play two or three warm-up matches. Their potential opponents are hosts Oman, Sri Lanka and Scotland.
Meanwhile, Mahmudullah Riyad's team will have to overcome Oman, Papua New Guinea and Scotland in the qualifying round and get a place in the main round of the World Cup.
Meanwhile, pacer Taskin Ahmed is reaping the rewards of his hard work as he is gearing up for another World Cup.
“I don’t live in the past,” Taskin told Cricbuzz.
“It’s disappointing (not to play in those World Cups) but I cannot change it and don't want to lose my sleep over it. Basically I don't want to remember the past and I want to look forward,” added the 26-year-old.
Taskin, who featured in the T20 series against Zimbabwe but failed to retain his spot in Dhaka against Australia and New Zealand due to the slow nature of the wickets, said that he is excited to be part of the World Cup journey and will be backing his strengths at the event if he manages to make it to the playing XI.
“I am really excited to make the World Cup team though I have not played in Oman and Dubai so far,” he said.
“I didn’t play the last two series due to the conditions but I was able to play the last game.
“I think the mental shift is very important because of the wicket that we played on here and the wicket that we are expected to have in the T20 World Cup will be different. I will try to back my strength that is bowling over 140kmph and hit the seam on the right spot, and if the wicket is favourable then it will certainly work.”