In a massive blow to Bangladesh, their star wicket-keeper batter, Liton Das has been ruled out of the Asia Cup after failing to recover from viral fever.
The Chairman of the National Selection Panel, Minhajul Abedin informed that the wicket-keeper batter did not travel to Sri Lanka for the opening encounter, set to be played on Thursday.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Anamul Haque Bijoy has been named as Liton Das’s replacement by the Bangladesh National Selection Panel and will join the squad in Sri Lanka later on Wednesday.
“He (Anamul) has been in the runs in domestic cricket and we have continued to monitor him in the Bangladesh Tigers program. He was always in our consideration,” Minhajul Abedin said.
“Due to Litton’s unavailability, we needed a top-order batter who could keep wicket and Anamul got the nod,” he further added.
Bijoy has played 44 ODIs for Bangladesh amassing 1254 runs, including three tons. In a home series against India in December of last year, he last played his last ODI match.
This Asian Cup squad selection has been a rollercoaster ride for the panel as skipper Tamim Iqbal had stepped down from the captaincy earlier and announced his retirement from ODI Cricket.
However, in a sudden turnaround, he later took back his retirement after Bangladesh President Sheikh met him personally.
Although there were rumors about Das getting the captaincy, however later on, star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was put in charge of the team till World Cup 2023.
Updated Bangladesh Squad:
Shakib Al Hasan (C), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Anamul Haque Bijoy