Saif, Yasir unlikely for Zimbabwe tour

Yasir Ali Chowdhury and Saif Uddin will have to wait for a longer period to make their return to international cricket as both are yet to reach the desired fitness level.

Bangladesh Cricket Board physician Debashish Chowdhury told The Business Post that both cricketers are going through a rehabilitation process.

“Yasir is going through a rehabilitation process. He is not feeling any pain, he is not complaining. If the selectors ask for any report before the selection, we will provide one,” he said on Tuesday.

Yasir had back pain in the lumbar spine which ruled him out of the West Indies tour after he played in the warm-up match at Antigua against West Indies Cricket Board President’s XI in June.

The batsman was sent back to Bangladesh from the Caribbeans and is undergoing a rehabilitation process now.

All-rounder Saif last played for Bangladesh in the ICC T20 World Cup in October 2021. Since then, he is yet to gain the fitness to play international cricket.

He was drafted in the white-ball part of the West Indies tour but was later discarded as he was yet to gain the required fitness.

Debashish said Saif needs a pain killer injection.

“Saif needs a pain killer injection for his back pain. We are looking for options in India and also in Bangladesh. Wherever we find it feasible, we will send him to take the injection,” the BCB doctor told The Business Post.

Saif told the media on Tuesday that he got the message from the BCB officials.

“Possibly I am not being considered for the Zimbabwe series. I have talked to the selectors. They have told me to plan for the Asia Cup. They told me to take time to become 100% fit,” he said at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Bangladesh will tour Zimbabwe for three ODIs and T20Is. The three T20Is will be on July 30, 31, and August 2, while the ODIs will be on August 5, 7, and 10.