‘He knows what it takes’: CSK hopeful Fizz can step up when needed

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team management is hopeful that pacer Mustafizur Rahman will be ready to perform for the side whenever needed in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, starting from March 22. 

"Fizz will join the camp on March 20, a couple of days before our opener against RCB [Royal Challengers Bangalore]. He knows what it takes, and we will see how he shapes up," a CSK official was quoted as saying by The Times of India, an Indian English-language daily newspaper on Saturday. 

Matheesha Pathirana played a pivotal role in CSK's title triumph last season, especially by taking wickets at the death to keep runs in check. 

However, the Sri Lankan pacer picked up a hamstring injury during the T20I series against Bangladesh and is set to be sidelined for at least four to five weeks. That will see him miss the first few matches for CSK in this season's IPL. 

With Pathirana unavailable, CSK could turn to Mustafizur. Mustafizur has not been in rhythm lately. During Bangladesh's recently concluded three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in Sylhet, the left-arm pacer scalped just two wickets while conceding more than 10 an over in each of the three matches. He was not picked up in the eleven in the first two ODIs against the Lankans as well. 

However, CSK would hope that Mustafizur, who was bought from the player's auction last year December for his base prize of 2 crore rupees, will get his rhythm back once he joins the IPL franchise.