Bangladesh received a huge blow before the opening Test of the two-match series against Pakistan as their regular opening batter, Mahmudul Hasan, has been ruled out of both games in the longest format due to a groin injury. The cricket board is yet to make a replacement.
Mahmudul Hasan was part of the Bangladesh A side that played the Pakistan Shaheens in Islamabad in preparation for the red-ball series before joining the senior members. He sustained the injury while fielding and couldn’t bat in the second innings of the game.
The right-handed batter looked in such a good touch as he made 65 runs in the first innings of the game. It came on the back of his being in form thanks to his couple of knocks of 69 runs and 65 runs in the four-day matches that he played as a part of the High-Performance Unit against Shaheens.
Bangladesh to change opening combination replacing Mahmudul Hasan
Mahmudul Hasan made a great start in the red-ball format of the game, as he notched up 623 runs in 13 games at an average of 25.95 and a strike rate of 41.98, celebrating four half-centuries and one-century thanks to his best score of 137.
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Since making his debut in 2021, the 23-year-old has been a huge and consistent member of the side in the Test format. Mahmudul Hasan cracked 1761 runs in 34 first-class games at an average of just under 30, recording nine fifties and four centuries with a best score of 137.
One of the best skills of this young batter is how stable he stays in the crease with great coordination in scoring runs. He has also featured in 43 games in List A cricket, smashing 1366 runs at an average of 35.94 with a strike rate of 73.16, thanks to his eight fifties and three centuries.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief physician, Debashish Chowdhury, has confirmed the injury of Mahmudul Hasan as the batter has been rested for three weeks.
“We have received a mail regarding Mahmudul where it is stated that he sustained an injury to his right groin and as a result, he is being rested for three weeks,” Chowdhury confirmed to Cricbuzz in a report.
Meanwhile, the veteran wicket-keeper batter of the side, Mushfiqur Rahim, has also injured his finger during his batting in the second innings for Bangladesh A during their four-day game. However, he is hopeful of recovering fast and being available for the opening game in Rawalpindi.
“In the second innings (before going to bat) I got hurt in my finger so I did not bat. Hopefully, I will recover very soon, and inshallah, I will play in the first Test.” Rahim said in a statement provided by the BCB.
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Despite the unrest and disturbing conditions in the country, the players came earlier for the commencement of the red-ball series. They stayed in Lahore and trained at the Gaddafi Stadium for three to four days before moving to Islamabad ahead of the first game of the series.
A few of the senior men’s side were part of the Bangladesh A side to make proper preparation for the series, including Mahmudul Hasan, Rahim, the former captain Mominul Haque, and others. The biggest boost for the team is the comeback of Shakib Al Hasan in the side, as they looked to change the fortune of the last trip when they lost the first Test in Pakistan before Covid-19 suspended the series.
Both teams will move to the National Stadium in Karachi for the second Test, which will begin on August 30.