The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is less than 9 days and things have started to get difficult for Bangladesh as the team — who had already been revolving around controversy — have met with another massive blow.
Bangladesh’s skipper Shakib Al Hasan has been ruled out following a heel injury while playing football in a training session and the date of his return is yet to be determined.
Bangladesh is currently playing Sri Lanka in a warm-up match on Friday and they are led by Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the absence of the prolific all-rounder.
Even though there is no official report regarding Shakib’s injury but as per multiple sources, the 36-year-old could end up missing Bangladesh’s second warm-up against England on October 2, as well as their first official game of the event against Afghanistan on October 7.
It must be noted that the last few days in Bangladesh cricket have been surrounded with controversy as the experienced opener Tamim Iqbal was left out of the World Cup.
Tamim, 37, who took his retirement back from the One Day Internationals (ODIs) at Bangladesh’s Prime Minister’s request, was not included in the squad due to “long-standing injury concerns” as per the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
However, Tamim opened up on the decision in an interview which was not welcomed by Shakib, who called the left-handed opener “childish” and “not a team man”.
"I am sure someone who is authorized had said this (to Tamim)," Shakib said. "I am sure whoever has said it, he thought of the team. A lot of things go into building a combination for a match. So if someone has said this to him, was it wrong? Or we can't make such a proposal? I am just going to tell someone that you can do whatever you want. Is the team first or the individual?"
Bangladesh Squad for the World Cup 2023:
Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (vc), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzid Hasan, Tanzim Hasan, Mahmudullah