Dhaka, Aug 10 (IANS) Fast bowler Nahid Rana has impressed in Bangladesh’s latest fitness tests, even as several of his other teammates struggled to meet the required standards. The ongoing fitness camp for Bangladesh players comes ahead of the skill training for the home three-match T20I series against the Netherlands, before traveling to UAE for Asia Cup.

A report in Cricbuzz said the 1600-meter run and the 40-meter sprint tests have replaced the Yo-Yo and beep tests, especially after new strength and conditioning coach Nathan Keily took over. Bangladesh had recently won a T20I series against Pakistan by 2-1 margin and are scheduled to go to Sylhet for a skills camp on August 20.

Six players from the 25-member preliminary Bangladesh squad, including T20I captain Liton Kumar Das and Towhid Hridoy, missed the tests while four others – Nurul Hasan Sohan, Saif Hasan, Afif Hossain, and Mahidul Islam Ankon – are on the ‘A’ team tour of Australia.

The report also said Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed along with Tanvir Islam and Shamim Patowary took nearly eight minutes to complete the 1600-meter run. Rana, meanwhile, was the best among the 22 cricketers who took part in the fitness test, completing the 1600-meter run in just 5 minutes and 31 seconds.

“Rana was just outstanding. Few others also did well, but at the same time there were couple of cricketers who could not meet our expectations,” a member of the team management was quoted as saying in the report on Sunday.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz finished second in the first batch of 1600-meter run with a timing of 6 minutes and 1 second while Mushfiqur Rahim, who has retired from ODIs and T20Is, completed the testing in 6 minutes and 10 seconds to finish at third place.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib finished the 1600-meter test in 5 minutes and 53 seconds in the second group comprising 15 cricketers. Following him was Shahadat Hossain Dipu, who completed it in 6 minutes, while Parvez Hossain Emon came third with 6 minutes and 13 seconds.

–IANS

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