Bangladesh’s preparations for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies have been hit by an unexpected setback, with the news of Towhid Hridoy suffering a groin injury ahead of the matches. The 23-year-old top-order batter sustained the injury during a football session in Bogra, prompting the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to delay the official announcement of the ODI squad.
Hridoy’s injury has raised concerns among the team management, who are now waiting for the results of his medical reports before making a final call on his inclusion in the squad. “He (Hridoy) suffered a groin injury, and as a result, we are waiting for the medical report,” a BCB official told Cricbuzz. The outcome of the reports will determine whether the promising batter can be fit in time for the series or if the team will need to make a change to the squad.
The news of Hridoy’s injury comes as another blow for Bangladesh, who are already missing the services of key players due to injury concerns. Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim is sidelined with a fractured finger, and Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has a groin injury, is also unavailable for the ongoing Test series. While Rahim is unlikely to recover in time for the ODIs, the team management remains hopeful of an early recovery for Shanto. However, they have stressed caution, acknowledging the importance of not rushing him back into action too soon.
The injury concerns add to Bangladesh’s woes after a heavy loss to the West Indies in the first Test of the ongoing series, where they were defeated by 201 runs. The team will be hoping for a turnaround when they face the West Indies in the second Test starting on November 30.
The three-match ODI series will take place in St Kitts on December 8, 10, and 12, followed by a T20I series in St Vincent on December 15, 17, and 19. As Bangladesh awaits updates on Hridoy’s condition, the focus now shifts to securing replacements, should further injury concerns arise, in a bid to put together a competitive squad for the crucial fixtures.
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