Najmul Hossain Shanto ruled out of Asia Cup due to injury

In-form batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto is going to miss the remainder of the Asia Cup due to a hamstring injury.

The southpaw will return home immediately to start the rehabilitation process.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) made this disclosure in a release today, Tuesday.

“My journey in the Asia Cup 2023 ends here. I am suffering from a muscle tear and will not further play in the tournament. All the best wishes to my Bangladesh team for rest of the tournament. Returning home soon and will prepare for the World Cup InShaaAllah ” Shanto wrote in a Facebook post.

Najmul was in red-hot form and remains the highest scorer in the ongoing Asia Cup. Before scoring 104 against Afghanistan in the last match, he played a knock of 89 against Sri Lanka.

His and Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s century helped Bangladesh put on a massive score against Afghanistan in a do-or-die match.

Shanto felt some pain on his left hamstring while batting against Afghanistan in Lahore on Sunday. He was taken for an MRI the next day.

Bangladesh national team’s physio Bayjedul Islam said, “He (Shanto) informed that he felt pain in his hamstring while batting. He couldn’t do fielding because of it. The MRI scan showed that there is a tear in his muscle. As a precautionary measure, he will take no further part in the tournament (Asia Cup) and will return home to complete the rehabilitation process and start preparing for the World Cup.”

Litton Das, who had earlier been removed from the Asia Cup squad due to illness, has joined the team in Pakistan and is likely to take Shanto’s place in the 17-man squad.