'Difficult to erase it' - Salahuddin on Bangladesh's no-show at T20 WC

Bangladesh's senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin said on Wednesday that it is difficult for cricketers to leave behind the disappointment of not taking part in the forthcoming ICC Twenty20 World Cup.

Bangladesh decided not to travel to India to take part in the tournament citing security reasons and later the ICC replaced them with Scotland. This is the first time a member of the Bangladesh team management publicly stated that losing the chance to play in the T20 World Cup is a disappointing matter altogether.

"To be honest, it's very difficult to completely erase it from the mind. Not everyone is mentally strong enough to deal with it easily. Overcoming that disappointment is tough," Salahuddin told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

"So the main focus should be what best you can give in your current situation. As professional players, they will try to see it that way. But emotions can't always be controlled, it's impossible," he said. "We are human beings; sadness, pain, happiness-everything exists within us. The key is how we move forward, and for that, staying focused on the present is most important. I believe the players will overcome it."

Salahuddin cited the example of Mustafizur Rahman who has been at the forefront of this entire saga from the time his mega deal with KKR was scrapped. "I asked Mustafizur this question myself-how he was feeling. He said 'What's gone is gone.' Not everyone can be like Mustafizur, but that mindset is the best thing for a player.

"If something is beyond your control, there's no point trying to control it. If you want to be a big player-or even in a job-if you keep drowning in frustration over promotions you didn't get, you lose sight of your current position. From Mustafizur, there's a valuable lesson to learn. He could have been frustrated, considering everything involved, but he understands that it was beyond his control. That mindset is something I've learned from him, and others can learn too."

The BCB decided to launch a new three-team T20 tournament with 45 leading cricketers to keep them busy as they are not taking part in the World Cup. Pace bowler Taskin Ahmed will miss the tournament for injury issues.

"Since this is a tournament, I believe the best players of Bangladesh are playing here. It carries significant importance, and that's how we are viewing it. Whether we are playing the World Cup or not is something everyone already knows. And I am not the kind of person who will collapse into despair just because we missed something. I don't know whether I'll be alive tomorrow or not. But instead of worrying about the future, I believe focusing on my current position and doing the best I can right now-playing good cricket and improving my game-is what matters. That's how development happens. As a T20 team, I think we had fairly good results last year, and our goal is to do even better going forward. From that perspective, this tournament could be very beneficial for us," he said.

"At the end of the day, when players step onto the field, everyone will try to give their best. The top 45 players are playing here, so there will be healthy competition. Young players are coming in, and experienced ones are there too. Every day is an opportunity. If someone takes it seriously, it can be a big opportunity; if not, it could be a downfall. So everyone will try to perform at their best," he said.

Salahuddin, childhood mentor of Shakib Al Hasan, insisted that it would be foolish not to consider the all-rounder when he is fit to play. In the recent past there have been calls for Shakib to be reintegrated into the setup. "Anyone who says they don't want Shakib is living in a foolish world. He brings balance as both a batter and a bowler. Fitness matters, but wanting him in the team isn't even a question," he said.