Hydrate or lose

Bangladesh cricketers are using the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL) as a preparation ground for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia, as players from both sides will have to face challenging conditions due to excessive heat across two venues in Dhaka and Chattogram.

Australia, who are currently playing an One Day International series against Pakistan, will arrive in the Bangladesh capital on 5 June.

They will face Bangladesh on 9, 11 and 14 June in a three-match ODI series before travelling to the port city for a three-match T20 series on 17, 19 and 21 June.

ODI matches will start at 11am while the T20 matches will start at 2:30pm local time.

The day games come with their own set of challenges, as the heat will test players' mental and physical fitness.

Most of the players who will be involved in the series have already challenged themselves under the severe heat and pressure of the DPL.

On Tuesday, after the win against Gulshan Cricket Club, Abahani Limited's Najmul Hossain Shanto shared his routine for getting through a rigorous day of cricket under the blazing sun.

"So I try to start the process two days ahead of the match. I try to stay hydrated. And the other thing is food. I try to eat food that will help me stay hydrated — like eating carbohydrates," Shanto told Daily Sun.

"Eating dates, bananas and all those things. And if you feel very tired, you might want to have some chocolate. And use those small breaks in between the game to stay hydrated," he explained.

Another national team batter, Towhid Hridoy, who guided Mohammedan Sporting Club Ltd to a victory against Legends of Rupganj at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium with a century, shared his way of getting through the heat.

"As a professional player, I wouldn't say that it's tough, but it's something we have to adjust to and adapt to. Whatever conditions we face, they will face the same. I think staying hydrated is important. On match days, we need to make sure we can give 100% effort. That's our responsibility as professional players," he told reporters after the match.

"Their bowling department was definitely very good. Since we have an Australia series coming up and the matches will be played in Mirpur on this very ground, we tried to prepare in a way that reflects how we would play against Australia. That was the plan. Overall, Alhamdulillah, it went well," he added.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is also planning to procure different supplements for the players to use as snacks during the Australia series so that players stay hydrated.

BCB cricket operations manager Shahriar Nafees also confirmed the development.

"Yes, the team wanted a protein bar from a certain brand which is from Australia, to use as snacks. But if we can't get it from Australia, there won't be any issues since it's available in the country," he said.

BCB physio Muzadded Alpha Sany, who is also working with Abahani club during the DPL, shared his routine as well.

"We give the players an oral rehydration solution in the morning to help with hydration. Then, if they have a fielding session in the afternoon, we may provide another electrolyte solution along with recovery drinks. Coconut water is also available, and the physiotherapists monitor all these aspects. The aim is to keep the players as hydrated as possible," he said.

"If someone still develops severe cramps, we use a strong salt rinse — essentially having them rinse their mouth with a concentrated salt solution. That helps prevent the cramping. Even in training, the coaches are being mindful to ensure there is no overtraining. We are trying to manage these things carefully. Since the weather is very hot, our trainer is also controlling the warm-up sessions so that players do not lose excessive fluids through sweating before training even begins. We try to manage everything overall, although some issues can still occur from time to time," he concluded.