||Desk Report||

Bangladesh have received another major blow as Shakib Al Hasan has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing Asia Cup due to his long-standing finger injury. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cricket operations chairman Akram Khan has confirmed that the 31-year-old will be out of action for six weeks.

Shakib played four matches in the tournament, despite the early doubts over his participation in the continental showpiece event. However, his chances of featuring against Pakistan in the virtual semi-final was jeopardized following a scan on his injured finger on Monday (September 24).

“He will be out for four to six weeks,” Khan told reporters during the match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi today. “The pain had increased over the last few days and the physio [Thihan Chandramohan] tried his best to get him on the field, but the pain was too much.

“I would like to thank Shakib for playing [the first four matches] with the pain he had.”

Mominul Haque replaced Shakib in today’s game as the Bangladesh Test and T20I skipper was feeling too unwell to even grip the bat. The injured all-rounder is now returning to the country as his journey in the competition has come to an undesired end.

“He actually can't grip the bat,” team manager Khaled Mahmud reportedly said ahead of the Pakistan-clash. “The report was not good. There has been inflammation of the finger [since he last played] and the pain has also increased.”

The board and Shakib had mutually decided to have a reoperation on his finger before Bangladesh’s home-series against Zimbabwe next month. While Shakib will be sidelined at that time, another important player of the team, Tamim Iqbal, is also likely to miss the series due to his wrist-injury.