Mosaddek to captain Bangladesh in 3rd Zimbabwe T20I

All-rounder Mosaddek Hossain will lead Bangladesh for the very first time in the third and final Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe after captain Nurul Hasan sustained an injury while keeping the wickets in the second T20I in Harare on Sunday.

Sources from Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had initially hinted at naming Liton Das as the captain, but the board eventually decided to name the 26-year-old Mosaddek as the skipper.

Nurul has broken the index finger of his left arm while trying to stop a ball during the second T20I. Nurul continued keeping wickets with the pain for the rest of the innings and informed the management of the pain during the mid-innings break.

He was taken for an X-ray after the match and the report showed that he has broken his finger.

BCB physio Mujadded Alfa said that it would take Nurul around three weeks to recover from this injury, which also rules him out of the following three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against Zimbabwe.

“The X-ray report showed that Nurul has broken his finger. It takes at least three weeks to recover from an injury like this. That’s why Nurul won’t be able to take part in the series decider on 2 August and the following ODI series.”

Nurul will now be sent back to Bangladesh. The BCB has also named Mahmudullah as replacement for Nurul for the final T20I. Mahmudullah is already in Harare with the rest of the ODI team.

Nurul, however, wanted to stay back with the team in Zimbabwe as he believes he will be fit to play after a couple of days rest. But the BCB physicians don’t agree with him.

Nurul’s injury opens the door for Mosaddek to captain the Bangladesh team. Mosaddek is fresh of claiming his best ever figures in competitive cricket, 5-20 in the second T20I, which helped the Tigers cruise to a comfortable seven-wicket win.

The injury ends Nurul’s first stint as Bangladesh skipper with one win and one defeat. Earlier, he was given captaincy for the T20I series in Zimbabwe, as the board rested regular skipper Mahmudullah.

The third T20I will take place on Tuesday at the Harare Sports Club.