The assurance comes directly from Najmul Hossain Shanto, who is currently serving as the team's stand-in captain for the warm-up fixture against England on Monday.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan is confirmed to be in excellent condition and will be “100%” ready for their first match in the ODI World Cup against Afghanistan on October 7 in Dharamsala. This assurance comes directly from Najmul Hossain Shanto, who is currently serving as the team’s stand-in captain for the warm-up fixture against England on Monday.
During the official broadcast of Bangladesh’s first warm-up match against Sri Lanka in Guwahati on September 29, commentators reported that Shakib had sustained a foot injury while playing football in a pre-game training session. Consequently, he opted out of that match, which Bangladesh ultimately won by seven wickets and it seems he is presently taking time to recuperate.
Shanto’s update is undoubtedly heartening news for Bangladesh supporters, given Shakib’s pivotal role as the team’s premier all-rounder.
Shakib’s performance is crucial to Bangladesh’s prospects in the World Cup, especially in light of the team’s less-than-stellar results in the lead-up to the tournament and the circumstances that led to Tamim Iqbal’s exclusion from the World Cup squad.
Bangladesh’s performance in the Asia Cup earlier this month was capped at the Super 4 stage, despite ending on a high note with a victory over India. Following this, they experimented with lineups in a three-match series against New Zealand on home soil, ending in a 2-0 series loss.
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At the Asia Cup, Shakib notably stood out as one of the team’s top performers, contributing a score of 80 off 85 balls along with claiming the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav in the crucial victory against India.
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