Bangladesh pacer Mohammad Saifuddin has been ruled out of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a back pain.
Saifuddin, 24, has now been replaced in the 15-man-squad by senior fast bowler Rubel Hossain.
According to a Bangladesh team official, Saifuddin had complained of pain on the left side of his back after the last game against Sri Lanka.
“We will understand the gravity of his injury after he returns back to Bangladesh but since he cannot make a comeback in the tournament we opted for a replacement,” Rabeed Imam, senior manager media & communications of BCB was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
Notably, Saifuddin had issues with his back at the 2019 World Cup as well.
Meanwhile, as per reports, the Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 has approved Rubel as a replacement player for Saifuddin in the Bangladesh squad.
Earlier, Saifuddin had scalped four wickets in the three games he played in the qualifying round of the showpiece event. He had returned with figures of 1/38 in Bangaldesh loss to Sri Lanka in the first game of the Super 12 round.
Bangaldesh will next take on England in Abu Dhabhi on Wednesday (October 27) and need a win to remian alive in the tournament as one another defeat could land them in trouble.
After England, the Mohammad Mahmudullah-led Bangaldesh side will next face defending champions West Indies in Sharjah on October 29 before taking on South Africa and Australia on November 2 and 5 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively.
The two semifinals of the showpiece event will be held on November 10 and November 11 with the final to be played on November 14 in Dubai.
Earlier on Tuesday, New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson was also ruled out of the ongoing T20 World Cup with a calf tear.
The 30-year-old was replaced in the 15-man New Zealand squad by right-arm pacer Adam Milne.
According to a New Zealand Cricket (NZC) statement, Ferguson had felt tightness in his right calf following training Tuesday night with a subsequent MRI scan revealed a grade two tear which would require three to four weeks recovery.
“BLACKCAPS paceman Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out of the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE with a calf tear. Ferguson will be replaced in the 15-player tournament squad by Adam Milne subject to approval by the ICC Technical Committee,” NZC had said in a tweet.
Commenting on it, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead had said: “It’s a real shame for Lockie to have this happen on the eve of the tournament and the entire team is really feeling for him right now.”
“He’s a massive part of our T20 side and has been in such good form – so to lose him at this time is a blow. However, we are fortunate to have a like for like replacement in the form of Adam Milne who has been with the squad training for the past two weeks,” he was quoted as saying NZC.
Earlier, Ferguson had played in the second game of New Zealand’s pre-tournament warm-up against England on October 20, where he had returned with figures of 1/19.