At the ongoing Asia Cup, Bangladesh's star batter, Najmul Hossain Shanto, has been forced out of the tournament due to a debilitating hamstring injury sustained during a fierce battle against Afghanistan. The Bangladesh Cricket Board swiftly announced his departure from the squad, as they are determined to nurse Shanto back to full fitness in time for the highly anticipated ODI World Cup in India. Bangladesh's opening clash in the World Cup is scheduled against Afghanistan on October 7th in the picturesque setting of Dharamsala.
Shanto's void in the lineup will be filled by the talented Litton Das, who was initially omitted from the Asia Cup roster due to illness. In a swift turn of events, Das hopped on a flight to Lahore this morning to bolster the Bangladesh squad.
The team's dedicated physiotherapist, Bayjedul Khan, provided insight into Shanto's unfortunate injury, revealing that the batter sustained the hamstring blow during his remarkable century against Afghanistan earlier in the week. Despite battling through discomfort in the latter part of his innings, Shanto valiantly continued to bat, eventually reaching the coveted century mark at 104 runs. However, he opted not to take the field during Afghanistan's innings due to the persistent pain.
Khan elaborated, saying, "The player had voiced concerns about hamstring pain while batting and was unable to participate in fielding duties. Following an MRI scan, a muscle tear was confirmed."
As a precautionary measure, Shanto will play no further part in the Asia Cup and will soon return home to commence rehabilitation and prepare diligently for the impending World Cup campaign.
Remarkably, Shanto presently stands as the leading run-scorer in the Asia Cup, amassing an impressive total of 193 runs across two innings at an astonishing average of 96.5.
His stellar performance included an 89-run display against Sri Lanka, preceding his memorable century against Afghanistan, albeit in a losing effort. In Shanto's absence, Litton Das may be tasked with opening the innings, potentially leading to a reconfiguration of the batting order, where either Mohammad Naim or Mehidy Hasan Miraz might be shuffled down. The cricket world awaits to see how Bangladesh adapts to this unexpected setback as they strive for glory in both the Asia Cup and the forthcoming ODI World Cup.
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