Tigers off to India without Fizz

FT ONLINE

The Bangladesh national cricket team left for India on Tuesday to take part in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan without their main paceman Mustafizur Rahman due to toe injury of his left foot.

The other two players Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal did not accompany the team are expected to join the team later.

Shakib arrived Dhaka on Monday just after finishing IPL 2018 with Sunrisers Hyderabad where they became runners-up. Tamim will play a charity T20I for ICC World XI against Windies at Lord’s on May 31.

Both Shakib Al Hasan and opener Tamim Iqbal will join with the team later stage.

The series is scheduled to be held from June 3-7 at newly built Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Dehradun.

Star pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman known as Fizz in International arena could not accompany the team at the very last moment due to toe injury. Fizz picked up the injury when playing the last match for Mumbai Indians in an IPL encounter against Delhi Daredevils on May 20, as he attempted to stop a ball off his own bowling with his foot.

A BCB media release quoted BCB’s senior physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury said: “An x-ray followed by a CT scan have confirmed a hairline fracture on the big toe. It takes around three to four weeks to recover from such injuries and therefore he (Mustafiz) can’t play against Afghanistan. We expect him to start rehab in two weeks after which we will continue to monitor and assess him.”

The cricket regulatory body BCB, however is yet to confirm Mustafizur’s replacement in the squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan.

The Tigers will start their T20I campaign with a lone preparation match against the local selection on June 1.

Afghanistan are ahead of Bangladesh in T20I rankings. The Afghans are placed at No.8 with 85 points. Bangladesh are ranked tenth with 75 points. In order to make improvement in the ranks, the Tigers must need to win by 3-0. That will take them to No.9 and Afghanistan No.10.

After the T20i series the Tigers will be embarking on the tour of West Indies in late June.

This is the first time Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be playing a bilateral T20I series. They previously played a three-match ODI series in Bangladesh in 2016 when the Tigers won by 2-1.

Squad:

Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Mahmudullah (vice-captain), Tamim Iqbal Khan, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Kumar Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Musaddek Hossain Saikat, Ariful Haque, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Nazmul Islam Apu, Abu Hider Rony, Rubel Hossain and Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi.

Itinerary:

Afghanistan vs Bangladesh series 2018:

June 3 – First T20I – 8:30 pm

June 5 – Second T20I – 8:30 pm

June 7 – Third T20I – 8:30 pm

All the matches are BST time.