Back pain puts Tamim in doubt

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal is a doubt for their upcoming Test against Afghanistan as the batter is currently struggling with back pain.

Tamim has been struggling with several injuries in the last couple of years, and this back injury is a recurring one, which he had recently faced during the Bangladesh Premier League earlier this year, prior to the England series.

On Sunday, Tamim’s back pain was visible as he struggled during Bangladesh’s first day of official training for the Test.

He started doing fielding drills but opted out soon, and then struggled to face the throwers and pacers on the back foot, an indication towards the problem he is facing.

However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board are hopeful of Tamim getting fit for the match starting on Wednesday.

“There is still time for him to get fit. Let’s see tomorrow (today). We will do any scans if we feel the need. This is an old problem, not a new one,” BCB Chief Physician Dr Debashish Chowdhury told The Business Post.

Tamim has been struggling with injuries regularly in the last few years and has missed a number of matches in this period due to that.

He was absent from Bangladesh’s historical Test win against New Zealand at the start of 2022 after missing the Test series against Pakistan in late 2021, due to a finger injury. He also missed Bangladesh’s One-Day International series against India in December last year due to a groin injury.