Dhaka: Bangladesh’s struggling cricket team are battling injuries ahead of the formidable challenge of hosting Pakistan for a two-Test series beginning on Friday in Chittagong.
Star players Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal are sidelined, added to a lack of confidence in the camp after losing eight straight Twenty20 internationals, meaning Pakistan will start as overwhelming favourites.
The visitors completed a clean sweep 3-0 in the preceding Twenty20 series but will be without leading spinner Yasir Shah, who has been nursing a thumb injury since September.
The leg-spinner has been a key bowler for Pakistan since 2014, taking 235 wickets in 46 Tests.
All-rounder Shakib suffered a hamstring injury against the West Indies in Sharjah last month that ended his T20 World Cup, but he had been included in the Test squad in the hope that he would regain his fitness. But Bangladesh’s chief selector Minhajul Abedin said on Tuesday: “Shakib hasn’t recovered from his injury yet. He needs further rehabilitation. Our physiotherapist is constantly taking care of him.”
Tamim was left out of the Test squad as he recovers from a finger injury and is unlikely to resume training until next month, said a Bangladesh Cricket Board official. Minhajul was confident Bangladesh would be able to make up for the absence of Shakib. — AFP
