Why Shakib and Taskin did not bat in Rangpur-Dhaka match

Bangladesh and Rangpur Riders all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan did not come out to bat against Durdanto Dhaka on Saturday during his side's 79-run win. 

Babar Azam struck 62 off 46 deliveries to anchor the innings while Azmatullah Omarzai's cameo 32 off 15 helped Rangpur to 183 for 8.After the match a team source said that it wasn't required he bats in this game and that was why Shakib did not come to bat. 

It was quite surprising that Shakib did not bat in this game given that he had batted for more than an hour during the net session yesterday. 
Shakib has been suffering from an eye problem since the World Cup and it has impacted his batting. Babar was asked by the official broadcasters after the game whether Shakib not batting put extra pressure on him. 

PHOTO: FIROZ AHMED

"I don't think so. He's fit. I think today he had a practice session. Today he hasn't got an opportunity. We are looking forward to the next matches to play Shakib and get a good innings," Babar said during the interview. 

Shakib batted at number eight in the last game against Khulna Tigers. He has however bowled in all three appearances in the BPL this season, bagging three wickets. 

Meanwhile Dhaka pacer Taskin did not bat in the Dhaka innings after the fall of the ninth wicket and had bowled just two overs during Rangpur's innings.

Shoriful Islam of Dhaka informed that Taskin has a stiffness on his back. "Taskin bhai has a little stiffness on his back and it felt a bit tight. The team didn't want to risk him and he didn't want to risk it either. There are many matches coming up and if he had bowled another over there could be an injury that's why he wasn't risked, " Shoriful said. 

Taskin had been suffering from a shoulder injury since 2022 and had been undergoing conservative pain management approach. His injury had recently flared during the World Cup in India and didn't feature in the home Tests against New Zealand and the subsequent white ball tour away in New Zealand.