A significant piece of news has emerged regarding the Bangladesh team on their tour of Sri Lanka, ahead of the decisive match of the ODI series. Uncertainty surrounds the participation of star batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto in the third and final ODI, scheduled for July 8th in Pallekele.
Sports News: The Bangladesh cricket team has received a major setback before the decisive match of the three-match ODI series being played on their tour of Sri Lanka. There are doubts about the possibility of captain and key batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto playing in the third match. Uncertainty persists regarding his fitness due to an injury sustained in the second ODI.
Injury in the Second ODI, Uncomfortable in the Nets
According to a report by Cricbuzz, Shanto suffered a muscle strain while fielding during the second ODI, which prevented him from taking the field for the entire match. Since then, he has been under the constant supervision of the medical and physio team. In the practice session held in Pallekele on Sunday, Shanto appeared quite uncomfortable while running in the nets. He was having difficulty running, after which he went directly to talk to the physio. This makes it clear that his participation in the third match is doubtful.
Mohammad Naim Could Get an Opening Opportunity in the ODI
If Shanto is ruled out of the third match, left-handed batsman Mohammad Naim could get a place in the playing eleven. Naim has returned to the national team after nearly two years and has shown good batting in practice matches. Naim could be sent as an opener, so that there is not much change in the batting order. However, it will be interesting to see who is given the responsibility of captaincy, because Shanto is not only the top scorer of the team, but his decisions have also proved decisive as a captain.
Parvez Hossain Emon Boosts Morale
Bangladesh's opening batsman Parvez Hossain Emon gave a statement before the third match, "We have a great opportunity. If we win this match, we will create history by winning the series in Sri Lanka for the first time. There is enthusiasm in every player and we are very confident from the victory of the last match." The team management is currently keeping a close watch on Shanto's condition.
It will be decided only after the final fitness test before the match whether he will be able to play or not. A senior official of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said that, "We will decide to include someone in the team in place of Shanto only when the medical team does not declare him fit."
