Mortaza blames ICC bans for Bangladesh's World T20 exit

After losing to New Zealand by 75 runs yesterday, Bangladesh travelled back home without a single win in the Super-10 to show for their efforts. Mashrafe Mortaza spoke at the Dhaka airport and could not overemphasize the importance of the banned bowlers. "In the last eight matches, Taskin's economy rate was the best in the world. So it was always difficult to lose him," Mortaza said.

"The way he was bowling, we had our plan set around him. We had to change the entire game plan,” he continued. The news of the ban broke after Bangladesh had lost to Pakistan in the first game and just before the game against Australia, throwing a spanner in their works. “Before the Australia game when he was banned we could not hold our emotions due to this shock.”

Explaining further Mortaza said Taskin’s ban took a long time to sink in unlike Sunny’s. "We accepted that Sunny's action has problems. Even Sunny himself accepted it. But Taskin's ban was a complete shock for us," he said.

Bangladesh had earlier qualified for the super-10 after wins against Netherlands and Oman but could not manage a single win thereafter.

Mashrafe had a poor outing in the World T20 with just a single wicket and 24 runs off the bat. But the experience is something Mortaza will carry forward with him. "From now on, whoever we face, if we don't keep making small mistakes, it will not be easy to beat us. This is what I believe. We could not do this in Twenty20 in the past," he concluded.