Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is expected to link up with his squad in the UAE by October 6, just days before the one-off Test against Afghanistan gets underway at the Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on October 9.
Shanto was unable to travel with his teammates to the UAE after falling ill during Bangladesh’s Asian Games assignment in Japan. BCB medical staff confirmed an infection following tests, though both influenza and COVID-19 were ruled out. He remained in his hotel room throughout that period and could not depart with the rest of the touring party.
“I am hopeful that he will be available for the opening Test against Afghanistan. He hasn’t been ruled out yet and I’ve spoken with him. When you have such a fever the body gets weak and in Japan he was stuck in the hotel and he found it hard to eat food in the hotel as he couldn’t go out. But now he’s feeling alright and overall he’s in good shape,” said BCB chief selector Habibul Bashar as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Shanto developed a low-grade fever after Bangladesh landed in Japan, which kept him confined to his hotel room for an extended stretch. The restricted environment made recovery more difficult.
The one-off Test between Afghanistan and Bangladesh is scheduled to be played from October 9 to 13 at the Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The Test will be followed by an ODI tri-series involving Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, which is set to take place from October 17 to 23.
Shanto is expected to play a key role in the tri-series, provided he recovers fully from the illness that kept him out of the Asian Games. The first two matches of the tri-series will be played in Abu Dhabi, while the remaining fixtures will move to Sharjah. Bangladesh will be hoping for Shanto’s return to full fitness as they prepare for a busy white-ball schedule after the one-off Test. His leadership and batting will be important for the team as they look to put together strong performances across the upcoming matches in the UAE.
