Mustafizur Rahman's County debut with Sussex has been delayed. On Thursday, the young Bangladeshi pacer started a two-week rehabilitation programme to cure an injured hamstring and ankle he picked up during the gruelling Indian Premier League.
Mustafizur made his IPL debut this year with Sunrisers Hyderabad. The left-arm pacer made a telling combination with Bhuvneshwar Kumar as Sunrisers Hyderabad won their maiden title beating Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final. He emerged as the IPL's fifth highest wicket-taker and was named the Emerging Player of IPL 2016.
Playing 16 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mustafizur took enormous workload on his wiry frame. He was supposed to join Sussex after the IPL for NatWest T20 Blast and the Royal London One-Day Cup. Now he is on a two-week rehab break, according to ESPNCricinfo.
"For the first week I don't see any possibility of him taking the field. We are working on his hamstring and ankle injuries. He has recovered from the shoulder and side strain," said Bangladesh physio Bayjidul Islam.
Injury-prone Mustafizur missed the Pakistan Super League due to a shoulder injury. A side strain ended his Asia Cup campaign after three matches.