Asian Games ends for Saifuddin

The wait is almost over. Bangladesh cricket team will leave Dhaka for Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on 24 September with a mission to regain the gold medal at the Asian Games. The cricketers are currently training at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur ahead of the event. On Monday, they played a practice match in two groups.

However, two pieces of bad news ahead of the Japan tour have left the team management concerned. Najmul Hossain Shanto, who returned to the T20 squad after one and a half years and was hoping to play in the Asian Games, has suffered an injury to the little toe of his left foot. As a result, he is currently unable to wear cricket shoes. He could not bat in Monday’s practice match at Mirpur. Instead, he did his running session barefoot.

Another setback came just three days before the team’s departure for Japan. Pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin has been ruled out due to injury. He will be out of action for three weeks with a hamstring injury.

National Team Physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said: "Saifuddin complained of pain in his right hamstring while bowling during the practice session on 19 September. Following a physical examination and MRI, the injury was confirmed. He will require approximately three weeks of rehabilitation to recover.”

Saifuddin felt pain in his hamstring while playing a four-day match for the Bangladesh A team against South Africa A. That injury has now ruled him out of the Asian Games. Although Saifuddin is out, his replacement has not yet been finalised.