Finger injury makes Shakib unsure for Sri Lanka Test

Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has sustained injury during the final match against Sri Lanka of the Rocket Tri-Nation ODI series. As a result, he will not be able to play the first Test match against Sri Lanka in the bilateral series starting from January 31, 2018. If he requires more time to get recovery, he might possibly miss the chance of playing the rest of the matches in the series which will end on February 18, when the host will take on Sri Lanka in the second T20I in Sylhet. In his absence, Mahmudullah will lead the national cricket team in Test cricket. 

Shakib Al Hasan injured his little finger on his left hand while trying to run out Dinesh Chandimal in the 42^nd over of the Sri Lanka innings. As he moved rapidly downward through the air, he fell awkwardly on his left hand, resulting joint sprain at the base of the little finger on his left hand. However, from the field, he was directly taken to hospital where he had an X-ray. According to Debashis Chowdhury, senior physician of the BCB, nothing serious was found in the X-ray report, but the injury required some stitches. He will not be able to move his affected finger for at least a week before further assessment is made.

Hearing the news of Shakib's injury, Bangladesh’s selectors have drafted the left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam and the legspinner Tanbir Hayder into the squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka. They will join Bangladesh Under-19 off-spinner Naeem Hasan as the three uncapped cricketers in the squad.