Bangladesh’s senior wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing ODI series against Afghanistan after suffering a fracture to his left index finger. The injury, sustained while wicketkeeping during the series opener in the UAE was confirmed via an X-ray to involve the tip of his finger near the distal interphalangeal joint.
Bangladesh’s team physio, Delowar Hossain, stated that Rahim is currently undergoing conservative treatment and will not be available for the second and third ODIs against Afghanistan. Despite the injury, Rahim continued to bat, although he was dismissed for a duck in Bangladesh’s dramatic collapse, which saw them lose the first ODI by 92 runs.
With Rahim out of the series, Jaker Ali, who is already part of the squad, will take over wicketkeeping duties for the remaining matches. Bangladesh trails 0-1 in the three-match series and will aim to bounce back in the upcoming fixtures.
The injury also raises concerns about Rahim’s participation in Bangladesh’s upcoming tour of the West Indies, scheduled to begin later this month. The tour includes two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is, with the first Test set to start on November 22. Rahim, an integral part of the team’s middle order, will need to recover quickly for the multi-format series. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has yet to confirm the squad for the West Indies tour, and further updates on Rahim’s condition are expected as he continues his recovery.
Rahim’s absence is a significant blow to Bangladesh, who are already missing another key player, Litton Das, due to illness. As the team looks to regroup for the remaining ODIs against Afghanistan and prepare for the West Indies tour, Rahim’s injury underscores the physical demands of international cricket, particularly in a role as demanding as wicketkeeping.
