DHAKA, Aug 1, 2021 (BSS)—Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo expressed his disappointment over Australia’s stringent rules placed on Mushfiqur Rahim’s bio-bubble, which eventually ruled out the country’s most dependable batsman from the five-match  T20 series.

The Tigers are already with the service of Tamim Iqbal, who is in rehab now to cure his knee injury. Losing Mushfiqur meant they lost two of their senior batsmen, who single-handedly could turn the match from any tricky position.

“There is always pressure when you play international cricket. I can’t understand the stringent rules Australia placed on Mushfiq bubble,” Domingo said during an online press conference here today.

“I think 10 days would have surely been enough. Very disappointing the way they went about it.”

Mushfiqur was granted rest from the three-match T20 series against Zimbabwe but as Australia imposed a condition that all of the Bangladesh players should maintain 10-day quarantine ahead of the series, Mushfiqur opted to stay with the team in Zimbabwe and play the Zimbabwe T20 series.

However he had to leave Zimbabwe without playing the T20 series due to be with his parents, who both were diagnosed with Covid-19. After his parents recovered from the deadly virus, Mushfiqur wanted to enter into the bio-bubble and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wanted Australia to consider the matter. However, Cricket Australia rejected it, in the light of the agreement rules between the two countries on this tour.

Domingo might be disappointed but also believed Mushfiqur’s absence will present the opportunity for other players to show their mettle.

“But look, we want to play against the best team in the world and it’s an opportunity for other one or two younger players or fringe players to come and play and I am sure they are capable of it. No Mushfiqur is surely a loss for us but we have got a big squad and some quality players to replace him,” he concluded.