A couple of days ahead of the commencement of the Tri-Nation T20I series between India, Bangladesh, and the host Sri Lanka, the Tigers have to face a serious matter of concern as their T20I skipper Shakib-Al-Hasan has been ruled out of the Nidahas Trophy. The news was confirmed by the Bangladesh Board in a statement released on Saturday.

A series among the neighbors that is set to be played in order to celebrate Sri Lanka’s 70th year of independence won’t see the world’s current best all-rounder featuring in the coveted tournament.

Also read: Shakib to miss T20I series opener against SL

It is a major setback for Bangladeshi team given the fact that Shakib brings a lot of experience to the table. The ace all-rounder is still sustaining the left-hand injury that he suffered earlier this year in January in an ODI match against the Islanders. The incident took place while he was fielding in the final of the Tri-Nation series when he injured his finger. This came in at the wrong time for the team as he even missed the subsequent Test and T20I Series against the Sri Lankans that saw series defeats for the Tigers.

It has always been pretty difficult to fill in the shoes for such a huge player but in Shakib’s absence, Mahmudullah Riyad will do the honors to lead the T20I team in the upcoming tournament. As always injuries like these for crucial players bring in opportunities for others to prove their worth at the international level. Likewise, Litton Kumar Das who has been roped in as the replacement for Shakib will be looking to give another shot to his T20I career.

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After the departure of the skipper, the onus is now on the other senior players like the interim skipper Mahmudullah along with experienced campaigners Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim to take the team’s responsibility. The team is set to play their opening game of the tournament against the mighty Indians on March 8 at RPS Colombo.

Bangladesh squad: Mahmudullah Riyad (c),Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Abu Jayed, Taskin Ahmed, Imrul Kayes, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan, Ariful Haque, Nazmul Islam, Abu Hider Rony, Litton Kumar Das.