Shakib Al Hasan, the backbone of Bangladesh Cricket Team who is also leading the side in ICC ODI World Cup 2023 is reportedly going to sit out the match against India on 20th October 2023 due to an injury that he picked up in the match against New Zealand. This is a major blow for the Bangla Tigers.
Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha stated that a decision regarding Shakib Al Hasan’s participation in the World Cup match against India will depend on the scan reports. Shakib suffered a Grade 1 tear in his left quadricep during the third match against New Zealand.
He recently took part in a training session in Pune, which included warm-up and batting practice. Hathurusingha emphasized that Shakib’s participation will only be considered if he is fully fit, and they are awaiting the scan results to make a final determination. They haven’t tested his bowling yet and plan to assess his condition the following morning.
The upcoming India vs Bangladesh match is crucial for the Tigers, who must secure a victory. While Bangladesh began the tournament with a win against Afghanistan, they faced consecutive losses to England and New Zealand, putting their campaign in jeopardy.
To remain in contention for the semifinals, Bangladesh needs to win five out of their remaining six matches. Although they have a recent record of beating India in three out of their last four encounters, Hathurusingha emphasized that they can’t take this World Cup match lightly, as it presents a different challenge.