It seems that whenever Mashrafe Bin Mortaza wants to do anything he has to do it the hard way. After he went through a strenuous fitness training session, the 32-year-old paceman was set to play the third round of the National Cricket League. However, one the eve of the four-day match starting today, which would start the process of reviving the Bangladesh OD1 and T20I skipper's Test career, he was diagnosed with dengue.

Constant injuries and below-par fitness levels might have hindered Mashrafe's longer-version career in the past, but this time around the skipper's dream of returning to four-day cricket was spoiled by dengue. Mashrafe was admitted to Apollo Hospital in Dhaka on Thursday night with fever, and doctors confirmed on Friday that he had contracted dengue; the disease which has afflicted more victims this year than in the past eleven.

"Mashrafe has dengue. The tests conducted on him have confirmed that. His platelet count is low and that’s why he will have to be in the hospital for a while. He will be there for at least a week. He is better now. I have spoken to him and he is doing fine He just needs some time to recover," said Dr. Debashish Chowdhury, Bangladesh Cricket Board's physician yesterday.

Chief Selector Faruque Ahmed expressed his disappointment over the news.

" It's sad that he has been diagnosed with dengue at a time when he was preparing himself to make his comeback in the longer-version of cricket. I hope that he recovers from his illness and comes back quickly," said Faruque.

When Mashrafe, on his 32nd birthday, said that he wanted to make a Test return, there were fears that he would aggravate his already weak knees and perhaps injure himself, but all of his fans were still hoping that Mashrafe would be able to fulfil his desire.

It seems that adversity and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza go hand in hand. The pacer has fought back from injuries repeatedly throughout the course of his career, and this setback is just another one the Bangladesh leader will come back from, perhaps with more determination.