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Asian Games 2026: Najmul Hossain Shanto ruled out of Asian Games due to fever; returns to Bangladesh
Bangladesh's star batter and Test captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, has been ruled out of the ongoing Asian Games 2026 due to fever. The Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officially confirmed that the 28-year-old Shanto will return to Dhaka on September 29.
The board decided not to take any risks with Shanto, keeping in mind the one-off Test match against Afghanistan scheduled to begin on October 9.
Persistent fever and weakness cited as reasons
Najmul Hossain Shanto, who had returned to the T20 International squad after nearly 16 months, began feeling a mild fever during the journey itself.
- Medical Report: According to BCB physio Bayjedul Islam Khan, Shanto had been suffering from a mild and fluctuating fever for four days, which caused significant physical weakness.
- Infection Confirmed: Blood tests revealed the presence of infectious agents in his system, although tests for COVID-19 and influenza returned negative results.
- Recovery Time: As recovery would take time, it was not possible for him to regain fitness before the tournament's remaining matches and the final; consequently, the decision was made to send him back to Bangladesh.
Quarter-final against Malaysia: Captain Litton Das's strategy
Ahead of the Asian Games quarter-final match against Malaysia on Tuesday, Captain Litton Das shared key details regarding the team composition:
- Bowling-heavy combination: Considering the conditions in Japan, the team might field a combination of 5 bowlers and 6 batters.
- Threat of rain: Persistent rain has impacted the team's preparations, forcing the players to practice on a football field.
- Semi-final scenario: If the quarter-final match against Malaysia is washed out due to rain, Bangladesh will advance directly to the semi-finals to face Pakistan, based on their superior ICC ranking.
