Bangladesh’s white-ball skipper Litton Das is set to be ruled out of the upcoming away series against Afghanistan, citing a back injury. The 30-year-old, who recently missed the Asia Cup Super Four clashes against India and Pakistan, saw Bangladesh slip out of contention for the final.
Litton sustained the injury during a training session at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on September 22. While attempting a square cut in the nets, he felt discomfort on the left side of his waist. Following immediate
assessment by team physio Bayzid ul Islam, Litton was withdrawn from training and later ruled out of the remainder of the Asia Cup.
In his absence, Bangladesh lost both of their Super Four fixtures against India and Pakistan, failing to make the final. According to a Cricbuzz report, an official close to the team confirmed that the cricketer's recovery timeline is expected to stretch at least three weeks.
"I think he will need at least three weeks to recover, so chances are slim of seeing him (Litton) during the series against Afghanistan," an official said.
In the Asia Cup, he scored 119 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 129.35. In his absence, Jaker Ali was handed the gloves and the captaincy during the Super Four stage and is likely to continue against Afghanistan. Ali’s performances were decent enough to keep him in contention, though the selectors still face the challenge of selecting a balanced squad.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has not yet announced the final squad, but training is scheduled to resume on September 29, giving the management time to assess their available resources. The Afghanistan series, beginning October 2, will consist of three T20Is in Sharjah (October 2, 3, and 5) followed by three ODIs in Abu Dhabi (October 8, 11, and 14).
