BCB to wait 2 more days for Hasan

Bangladesh Cricket Board will wait for two more days before taking the final decision regarding the availability of injured pacer Hasan Mahmud for the upcoming Asia Cup, said a BCB official.

Bangladesh national team began preparing for the Asia Cup on Saturday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. The Tigers will create a match scenario during training today and tomorrow and will take the flight to UAE on August 23.

BCB Physician Debashish Chowdhury told The Business Post that the medical team will observe Hasan’s injury status for two more days before making the final call.

“Hasan has suffered a right ankle sprain. We will observe him for two more days. Let’s see if the swelling wanes or not. Then we will decide,” he said on Saturday.

The Asia Cup will start on August 27 in UAE. Bangladesh will play their first match against Afghanistan on August 30 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Hasan, a right-arm pacer, returned to international cricket after a lengthy rehabilitation program from a back injury but could not stay fit for more than three matches. He played two One-Day Internationals and one Twenty20 International upon return and took five wickets across both formats.

As confusion clouds regarding Hasan’s injury, his omission from the 17-member squad for the Asia Cup will make the list of injured cricketers longer.

Hasan’s uncertainty makes Khaled Mahmud anxious about the pace attack of Bangladesh, where Ebadot Hossain got a chance without playing a T20I.

Mahmud, the team director of the national team told the reporters on Saturday that Hasan is misfortunate as he got himself injured when he was in good form.

“Hasan got injured today (Saturday) which is very unfortunate. If you see, you will find that when a player is on song, he gets injured, which is very unfortunate. Hopefully, he will come round soon,” said Mahmud on Saturday.

But Mahmud did not want to make any comment regarding Hasan’s availability.

“I don’t want to make any official comment regarding his availability in the Asia Cup right now. We have not thought about his replacement, though there are some names who could come in. Tomorrow and the day after (Sunday and Monday) we have two practice sessions, let’s see what happens,” the team director told reporters.