|| CF Correspondent || 

Bangladesh heaved a sigh of relief as Shakib al Hasan is ready to play as scan report cleared him to take part in the ongoing World Cup. Tigers received a huge injury scare ahead of their game against Sri Lanka as in-form Shakib was taken to hospital for scan due to an injury that he sustained during England match.

Bangladesh selector Habibul Bashar told reporters that chances he is definitely available for the next game and there is a huge possibility that he might make himself available for the game against Sri Lanka, though that looks unlikely due to consistent rain at Bristol on Tuesday. 

‘’He is definitely available for the next game [against West Indies 17] while he can play today as well against Sri Lanka,’’ said Habibul Bashar  

‘’We had sent him for a scan as he had received some pain on his gluts during the game against England and found out there is nothing serious,’’ he added.

The scan that was done on Tuesday on Shakib suggested a Grade 1 strain on his left thigh, placing him in doubt for today’s World Cup match against Sri Lanka at the Bristol County Ground.

Shakib, who scored 121 in the 106-run defeat on Saturday and received treatment from physio Thihan Chandramohan early on in his innings at the Cardiff Wales Stadium, was present during team practice but did not bat or bowl at the Bristol County Ground on Monday, itself not an alarming sign as he has been known to take things easy on the eve of a match.

Shakib received treatment from the physio at the end of the eighth over of the innings on Saturday, and while he hobbled during runs for two or three overs after that, he appeared to bat unfettered till he was out in the 40th over.

Shakib’s lowest score in the three matches so far has been 64 against New Zealand. He is still the highest scorer in the World Cup with 260 runs. He has also taken three wickets, so losing him ahead of a crucial encounter would seen as a major setback. Having lost two out of three matches, Bangladesh will be desperate to get a positive result against a lower-ranked side to keep their race to the semifinals on track.

Shakib is having injury concern for quite some time with the latest coming in the tri-nation in Ireland where he had to be rested in the final for sustaining pain in the back.