Bangladesh is facing some selection woes ahead of Asia Cup with two of its players Hasan Mahmud and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan Sohan having suffered injuries. Hasan, who damaged his ankle during training last week, will be out of action for up to a month, and Nurul, who just had surgery on a finger injury, requires time to rest the wounded area. Bangladesh were dealt a blow last month when Liton Das suffered a hamstring injury and has been left out of the squad.
The 17-player squad will leave Dhaka for Dubai on Tuesday, with left-handed batter Mohammad Naim in the team following impressive performances for Bangladesh A during their recent tour of the West Indies.
After being reinstated as Bangladesh’s T20I captain earlier this month, Shakib Al Hasan will lead Bangladesh at the Asia Cup, but the star all-rounder has kept expectations for his squad at the six-team competition modest and wants to focus on the T-20 World Cup to be played in October 2022.
“I have no goals,” Shakib said recently when asked about how his team will perform at the Asia Cup.
“My only aim is that we can do well in the (T20) World Cup and these are the preparations for it. If someone thinks that I can change things within one or two days or someone else will come to change it, then we are living in a fool’s kingdom. If you are able to think practically, our true development will be seen when the team really does well in the World Cup in three months’ time.”
Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson believes Bangladesh made the right decision by inserting Shakib as captain once more and thinks the Asian country can thrive with the 35-year-old at the helm.
“To have a leader of Shakib’s quality, I think it’s going to re-energise them,” Watson said on The ICC Review.
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“He’s so experienced. He has captained Bangladesh a lot of times. He has captained in a lot of franchise tournaments as well, especially in the Bangladesh Premier League.”
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