Glenn Coleman
Oct 19, 2023 - 05:05

Bangladesh vs India: Shakib Al Hasan ruled out of World Cup 2023 clash, Najmul Hossain Shanto leads

Shakib Al Hasan sustains injury, will miss Bangladesh's match against India in World Cup 2023, replaced by Nasum Ahmed.

Shakib Al Hasan, one of Bangladesh's key players, will unfortunately not be able to participate in their crucial match against India in the World Cup 2023. The match is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 19 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune. In Shakib's absence, Najmul Hossain Shanto will be leading the Tigers for the second time, having previously led the team against New Zealand last month at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

It has been confirmed that left-arm specialist spinner Nasum Ahmed will be replacing Shakib in the squad. Shakib's recovery process has taken longer than expected, and Shanto mentioned during the toss that he is still "struggling a bit".

The injury occurred during the match against New Zealand at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where Shakib faced fitness issues. After undergoing scans, it was revealed that he had a minor tear in his quad muscle. However, the 36-year-old returned to batting in the nets on Tuesday, October 17, which provided some relief to the Bangladesh camp.

On the morning of the match against India, Bangladesh team director Khaled Mahmud Sujon, a former national all-rounder, announced that Shakib would undergo one final fitness test. Sujon mentioned that Shakib was not experiencing any pain or discomfort, but he was not able to run at full speed.

In Shakib's absence, the Tigers have the option of selecting either spin-bowling all-rounder Mahedi Hasan or specialist spinner Nasum. Both players have the ability to contribute to the team's performance.

In the World Cup 2023 so far, Shakib has played three matches, scoring 55 runs with an average of 18.33. His highest score in the tournament is 40. Additionally, he has taken five wickets, including a three-wicket haul.

The Bangladesh team will be hoping for Shakib to recover in time for their match against South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma, on Tuesday, October 24 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The team will be keeping their fingers crossed for his fitness and availability for this crucial match.