Opener Liton Das, also the vice-captain of the team, missed the Sri Lanka-bound flight due to his illness, confirmed the medical department of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
“Liton has been suffering from fever but there is nothing to be worried,” BCB Chief Physician Dr. Debashis Chowdhury said here today. “Every test he underwent came out good. Hopefully he will recover quickly and will join the side in Sri Lanka soon.”
Apart from Liton Das, the Bangladesh squad led by Shakib Al Hasan left the country at 12.45 pm to play the Asia Cup(AC), said an official of the BCB. Bangladesh team will have three days for their practice ahead of the tournament proper. The Tigers are drawn in Group B along with co-host Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
They will, however, start their mission on August 31, taking of Sri Lanka at Pallekele. Shakib and co will then face off Afghanistan on September 3 at Lahore, Pakistan.
The top two teams of the group phase will join the rest of the two teams, coming from Group A to form Super Four. Based on the points after playing against each other in Super Four, the top two teams will play the final.
“Our plan and preparation right at this moment solely revolve around Asia Cup. If I make it short, the only target is now to beat Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in a bid to move to the Super Four,” Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan said.
Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha echoed the same. “Our aim is to qualify for the second round first. As you said, we are playing in Sri Lanka against Sri Lanka. They’re a very good team at their home condition. And then, we are playing in Pakistan against Afghanistan and lately, they played here and they won the series. So, there are big challenges, but we are up for that challenge,” Hathurusingha said.
Full squad:
Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Das, Tanzid Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Sheikh Mahedi, Nasum Ahmed, Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Naim Sheikh.
