Image Credit- ICC
When Bangladesh plays Sri Lanka in their opening T20 World Cup encounter on June 7, they will have to wait another two days to find out if Shoriful Islam can play. In Saturday’s warm-up match between Bangladesh and India in New York, Shoriful broke the webbing on his left hand between his index and middle finger.
The left-arm fast bowler was hit on his bowling hand while attempting to intercept a drive from Hardik Pandya in the final over of the first innings. The physiotherapist for the Bangladeshi squad, Bayjedul Islam Khan, hurried him off the pitch as soon as he appeared to be in discomfort.
Later, BCB’s chief physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury said that Shoriful needed six stitches on the injured area.
“Shoriful suffered a split injury between the index and middle finger of his left hand while trying to stop a ball in his last over,” Chowdhury said. “After initial medical attention, he was taken to Nassau University Medical Centre. The hand surgeon administered six stitches. We will visit him again after two days. We will know then how much time it will take for Shoriful to return.”
Bangladesh will now go to Texas for their opening game, giving Shoriful six days to recuperate. He was one of Bangladesh’s few bright moments in the warm-up match, which they lost by 60 runs, returning figures of 1 for 26. If Shoriful misses their opening game, the squad will be missing their frontline quicks as Taskin Ahmed is also recuperating from a side strain.