Sharjah: Wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim has been ruled out of the remaining ODIs against Afghanistan after sustaining a fracture on his left index finger in the series opener that Bangladesh lost by 92 runs. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said that Mushfiqur will miss the second and third ODIs against Afghanistan and is being monitored by the management.
“Towards the end of Afghanistan’s batting innings, Mushfiqur injured the tip of his left Index finger while keeping wickets,” team physio Delowar Hossain said in a BCB statement.
“An X-ray after the match has confirmed a fracture on his left Index near the DIP joint. He is under conservative management and is not available for the second and third ODIs. Further updates on his condition and expected recovery period will be provided in due course,” it added.
Mushfiqur’s injury forced him to bat at No. 7 as Bangladesh’s batting collapsed after losing eight wickets for only 23 runs while chasing 236. He departed after being stumped out for 1. For Afghanistan, Mohammad Ghazanfar returned with the figures of 6-26 to all out Bangladesh for 143.
Bangladesh are yet to name a replacement for Mushfiqur as they trail 0-1 in the three-match series. In the absence of Litton Das, who is recovering from fever, Jakir Ali is likely to don the wicket-keeping gloves for the remainder of the series.
As Bangladesh gear up for an upcoming multi-format tour of the West Indies, featuring two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is later this month, Mushfiqur’s finger injury raises questions about his full availability for the Tests and ODIs. Mushfiqur retired from T20Is in 2022.
Following the Afghanistan ODIs in the UAE, ending on November 11, Bangladesh will head to the Caribbean for a tour game in Coolidge starting November 15, with the first Test kicking off in North Sound on November 22. The squad for the West Indies tour is yet to be announced.
–IANS
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