Tag: Litton Das Asia Cup

Bangladesh’s top-order batter Najmul Hossain Shanto has been ruled out of the remainder of the Asia Cup 2023 on Tuesday with a hamstring injury and faces a race to be fit for the World Cup 2023 in India next month.

Najmul Hossain Shanto is the leading scorer at the Asia Cup with 89 and 104 against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan respectively to help Bangladesh into the last four.

Najmul felt some discomfort in his left hamstring during his innings against Afghanistan in Lahore on Sunday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said.

“The player had complained of hamstring pain during batting and could not field. We had an MRI scan done confirming a muscle tear,” team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said.

“As a precaution, Shanto will not take any further part in the tournament and will be returning home to start rehab and prepare for the World Cup.”

The ODI Cricket World 2023 will kick off on October 5, with defending champions England facing runners-up of the 2019 World Cup New Zealand in the curtain raiser at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Najmul Hossain Shanto is Bangladesh’s top run-scorer in 2023 across all formats with 1,078 runs, including four hundreds and five fifties.

News of his injury came a day after batsman Litton Das was declared fit to join the Asia Cup 2023 squad having recovered from a fever that forced him to miss the Asia Cup group-stage matches.

Bangladesh have also lost frontline seamer Ebadot Hossain while all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz retired hurt against Afghanistan after making a career-best 112.

Bangladesh will face Pakistan in Lahore on Wednesday in the Super Four Stage match of Asia Cup 2023.

READ: India announce squad for ICC ODI World Cup 2023

DHAKA: Bangladesh received a boost to their Asia Cup 2023 campaign when batsman Litton Das was declared fit to play Monday and was immediately drafted into the squad, the chief selector said.

“Litton is fit now, he will travel to Pakistan tonight to join the squad,” Minhajul Abedin told AFP.

Litton Das missed Bangladesh’s two group matches of Asia Cup 2023 due to a fever and was replaced by Anamul Haque.

Bangladesh lost their opening match against Sri Lanka by five wickets on Thursday but bounced back strongly on Sunday to beat Afghanistan by 89 runs.

The big win against Afghanistan took Bangladesh’s run rate ahead of Sri Lanka, meaning they were assured of a place in the Super Four.

Sri Lanka will face Afghanistan in Lahore on Tuesday for the remaining Super Four slot from the group.

Litton’s return to fitness came as a relief for Bangladesh, who also lost frontline seamer Ebadot Hossain to injury.

Batsmen Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz both struggled with fitness on their way to a 194-run third-wicket stand against Afghanistan in Lahore.

Miraz retired hurt after making a career-best 112, while Shanto, who batted cramp for a long time, slipped on the crease and was run out after making 104.

Bangladesh will open their campaign in the Super Four against Pakistan, who have already qualified from Group A, in Lahore on Wednesday.

India and Nepal are playing in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, on Monday to qualify for the Super Four as the other team from Group A.

Five Asian Test-playing nations and Nepal are playing in the biannual tournament jointly hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with the final set for September 17.

The tournament is a tune-up for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India.

READ: ‘Pakistan is the host of the Asia Cup, it was our duty to come here,’ Rajeev Shukla