Dhaka: Bangladesh’s cricketers started a 10-day conditioning camp in Sydney, Australia on Sunday, building up to their tour of New Zealand for a full-fledged series comprising three ODIs, three T20Is and two Test matches starting on Boxing Day, December 26 - traditionally the highlight of the cricketing season in that part of the world.

Bangladesh cricketers warmed up starting the training session with football at Blacktown International Sports Park (BISP) on Sunday. 

The most important news for Tigers fans from the first training session would be that their young pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman, who missed the entire home season just concluded with a shoulder injury that required surgery eventually, bowled well in the nets on the first day. 

Mustafizur himself said he was satisfied speaking to journalists following the session, saying, “I am feeling much better now. Hopefully I’ll get my full fitness back during the conditioning camp.”

Mustafizur last played for the national side against New Zealand in March during the ICC World T20 2016, a game in which he returned the tournament’s best bowling figures of 5/22 in a losing cause.

The Satkhira Sensation was having trouble in his shoulder for a while, something that came up as he played every game for his IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad as they became champions in this year’s IPL. It finally caught up with him early into his much-coveted stint with English county side Sussex, for whom he appeared just twice in the Natwest T20 Blast in July. His surgery was performed in London on August 11. 

Meanwhile Tigers’ Test skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was seen facing the spin bowling of Taijul Islam in the nets.

During the camp the Tigers will play some T20s against franchises from Australia’s Big Bash.

Bangladesh squad: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah Riyad, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hassan Sohan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Shuvagata Hom, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shuvashish Roy, Ebadat Hossain, Tanveer Haider, Rubel Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Mehedi Hasan Maruf.