Bangladesh have suffered an injury setback ahead of the Asian Games, with pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin ruled out of the tournament because of a hamstring problem. Meanwhile, returning T20 international batter Najmul Hossain has also picked up a minor injury, leaving the team management monitoring his fitness closely before the squad departs for Japan.
Bangladesh have been preparing for the Asian Games in Mirpur for several days. The squad also played a practice match in two groups as preparations intensified for the tournament in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The team are travelling with a full-strength squad with the aim of challenging for the gold medal, but Saifuddin’s injury has disrupted those plans.
Saifuddin sustained the hamstring injury while playing a four-day match for the Bangladesh A team against South Africa A. He felt pain in his hamstring during the match and has subsequently been ruled out for around three weeks.
His absence is a significant consideration for the squad because of his role as a pace-bowling all-rounder, offering both bowling and batting options. However, Bangladesh have yet to finalise a replacement.
The team management is also dealing with the practical difficulty of making a late change to the Asian Games squad. Teams have to submit their squads to the organisers well in advance of the competition. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has therefore sought clarification from the Bangladesh Olympic Association on whether a change can still be made only a few days before the team leaves for Japan.
Another concern has emerged around Najmul Hossain, who has returned to the T20 set-up after an absence of around 18 months. The batter has suffered a graze to the little toe of his left foot and is currently unable to wear a shoe comfortably.
As a result, Najmul did not bat in the practice match in Mirpur. He was instead seen running barefoot beside the playing area. The extent of the injury and whether it will affect his availability for the Asian Games matches remain to be seen.
Bangladesh are scheduled to leave for Japan on 24 September. Their route to the medal stages will begin with the quarter-finals, with the first phase of the competition determining their opponent.
The quarter-final opponent will be one of Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal or Oman. The first phase is due to determine the match-up at 11am on 28 September.
If Bangladesh win their quarter-final, they will play the first semi-final at 9am on 1 October. Sri Lanka could be their opponent at that stage.
With the tournament approaching rapidly, the immediate focus will be on the fitness of the remaining squad members and the decision over Saifuddin’s replacement. For a team seeking to compete with its strongest available combination, the loss of an all-rounder so close to departure creates an additional selection challenge.
Najmul’s recovery will also be watched carefully. His return to the T20 squad had added another batting option to Bangladesh’s preparations, but the foot problem means the team will need to assess his condition before the competition begins.
The Bangladesh squad therefore enters the final stage of its preparations with two separate injury concerns. While Saifuddin has already been ruled out, the situation surrounding Najmul remains under observation, with the team due to travel within days.
