Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan ruled out of 1st Test against Sri Lanka due to finger injury

Bangladesh has received a huge blow ahead of their opening Test against Sri Lanka as their premier spin bowling all-rounder Mehidy Hasan has been ruled out due to a finger injury. Mehidy had picked up the injury during his stint in the Dhaka Premier League for the Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club against Prime Bank Cricketers Club at the BKSP on April 24, the same day when the Test squad was announced.

Mehidy has been one of the consistent performers for Bangladesh in the longer format and his numbers are quite good when it comes to the home conditions as well. The off-spinner has picked up 128 wickets in 33 Tests so far, alongside scoring 1072 runs as well with the bat. The 24-year-old has eight five-wicket hauls to his name apart from scoring one century and three half-centuries and has been a regular in the side since his debut in 2016.

“He (Mehidy) is definitely ruled out from the opening Test due to a hairline injury while he is also doubtful for the second Test,” Habibul Bashar, a member of the national selection panel confirmed as reported by Cricbuzz.

Nayeem Hasan to replace Mehidy Hasan in the squad

According to the reports, Mehidy has a very slim chance to play the second Test and Nayeem Hasan has been named as his replacement in the squad. Nayeem has played seven Tests for Bangladesh taking 25 wickets at an average of 26.2. Meanwhile, the first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will take place at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chattogram starting on May 15. The second Test will move to the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Dhaka starting on May 23.

Bangladesh’s updated Test squad for the Sri Lanka series: Mominul Haque (Captain), Tamim Iqbal Khan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Kumar Das, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Shohidul Islam, Shoriful Islam (subject to fitness), Nayeem Hasan.