Fatigue sets in as Tigers struggle through packed cricket calendar

Bangladesh captain Litton Das has called for a much-needed break for his players after the team were whitewashed 3-0 by West Indies in the T20I series that ended in Chattogram on Friday, reports UNB.
After a five-wicket defeat in the last T20I, which was the last match of the series against the West Indies, Litton said the players looked mentally and physically drained after months of continuous cricket.
"Sometimes players go through phases of exhaustion," he said at the post-match press conference in Chattogram. "You try to give everything, but things just don't go your way. I think the boys are a little tired. A short break will help them refresh and come back stronger."
Since the start of September, Bangladesh cricketers have barely had time to rest.
They spent more than a month in camp before the Asia Cup, then played in the tournament, followed by a back-to-back series against Afghanistan in the UAE. After returning home, most players were back on the field within days for the West Indies matches.
Litton suggested that the relentless schedule had taken a toll on both the body and mind of the cricketer.
"All of them have been playing cricket continuously for a long time," he said. "When you play regularly, many things don't go in your favour. A ten-day break now will allow everyone to reset before the Ireland series."
The break will be brief. Bangladesh will face Ireland in a two-match Test series beginning on November 11, followed by three T20Is.
Soon after that, preparations will begin for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), with the T20 World Cup looming in February next year.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is set to begin their preparation for the upcoming two-match Test series against Ireland on November 08.
The Test specialists, apart from Taijul Islam, are currently playing the second round game of the ongoing National Cricket League (NCL).
The Test players who played the T20 series against West Indies will have few days before joining the squad.
Bangladesh so far played four Tests in this year, with the last series against Sri Lanka in June. They drew the series against Zimbabwe 1-1 and lost the series against Sri Lanka 0-1. The two-match Test series against Ireland will kick off on November 11 in Sylhet, while the second Test will start on November 19 in Mirpur.