Mushfiq to skip India clash

Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim won’t be taking part in the team’s final match in the 2023 Asia Cup against India on 15 September as he will remain in Dhaka to stay with his wife who recently gave birth to their second child.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) confirmed Mushfiq’s absence from the match in a press release on Wednesday.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cricket operations department’s chairman Jalal Yunus said, “Mushfiq has informed us that his wife hasn’t fully recovered yet. Right now, he needs to stay with his family. We understood the situation he is now. That’s why we have granted him leave from the match.”

Mushfiq earlier returned to Bangladesh after the team’s match against Sri Lanka on 9 September to stay with his wife. He was supposed to return to Sri Lanka on Wednesday and join the team’s training session on Thursday ahead of the match against India on 15 September.

Bangladesh, however, have nothing to gain from the match as the Tigers are already out of the running for the final. Even if Bangladesh defeat India, who have booked a seat in the final with wins over Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Super 4, they have no chance of qualifying for the final.