Mashrafe boost for Tigers
Sports Reporter
The absence of pacer Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was one of the main causes of Bangladesh's five-wicket defeat against India in the first one-dayer. However, the good news is that the firebrand may be available for the second game to be held at the same venue tomorrow.The 'Narail Express', who was the hero of Tigers' World Cup victory against the same opponents, ruled himself out of yesterday's first game after failing a fitness test in the morning. "We are confident that he will be available for the second ODI on Saturday but we will continue to assess his condition during Friday's training," said Bangladesh team physio Paul Close. But viewers were still treated to some glimpses of the quick bowler as he looked reasonably okay while frequenting the pitch with drinks. The pace spearhead is nursing a lower-back strain, which he suffered during practice session on Tuesday. The team-management are desperately looking to his quick recovery as his replacement-- Shahadat Hossain-- hardly made any impact in the first match, ruling out the luxury for the team think-tank of resting Mashrafe with the two Test matches also impending. It was a matter of common consensus that if Mashrafe had been fit in the first match than the 250-run total could have proved good enough for Bangladesh.
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