Shakib Al Hasan to miss World Cup opener after suffering injury while playing football

This injury will sideline Shakib from Bangladesh's upcoming second warm-up match against England on October 2 as well as their first league-stage game against Afghanistan on October 7.

By Chandra Moulee Das Updated: Sep 29, 2023, 18:14 IST

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Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan reportedly sustained a foot injury during an evening training session while playing football on Thursday. He was subsequently absent during the toss, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz currently leading the team in their first warm-up match against Sri Lanka in Guwahati.

As per reports, this injury will sideline Shakib from Bangladesh's upcoming second warm-up match against England on October 2 as well as their first league-stage game against Afghanistan on October 7.

Shakib plays a pivotal role in the Bangladesh lineup, owing to his proficiency and extensive experience. He emerged as one of the leading run-scorers in the previous edition of the tournament held in England and played a decisive role in the team's narrow victory over India in the Super4 stage of the 2023 Asia Cup.

Bangladesh lost the toss against Sri Lanka in the warm-up encounter in Guwahati and has been tasked with bowling first. Under the leadership of Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka has amassed 103 runs in 14 overs and is aiming for a third consecutive victory against Bangladesh, having triumphed twice in the 2023 Asia Cup.

Shakib Al Hasan reveals his retirement plan

The untimely injury to Shakib Al Hasan adds to Bangladesh's pre-tournament woes. The ongoing discord between two senior players, Shakib and Tamim Iqbal has already resulted in the latter's exclusion from the 2023 ODI World Cup squad.

In addition to Tamim's omission, Shakib also shared insights into his future plans in international cricket. Hinting at a phased retirement, he mentioned that he intends to step down from each format gradually and eventually retire after the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, as conveyed to T Sports:

Following a hamstring injury during the 2021 T20 World Cup, Shakib faced a setback that ruled him out for the rest of the tournament.

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Bangladesh's second World Cup match is scheduled against England on October 10 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala.

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