ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Bangladesh hopeful of Shakib Al Hasan getting fit for India clash

Shakib Al Hasan suffered a quad tear during Bangladesh-New Zealand match in Chennai.

Bangladesh are hopeful of skipper Shakib Al Hasan getting fit in time for their upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against India. This encounter will be played on October 19, 2023, at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) stadium in Pune.

Bangladesh won their first game against Afghanistan in Dharamshala but lost their next encounter to England at the same venue. They then lost to New Zealand in Chennai.

It was in this match that Shakib Al Hasan suffered a slight quadricep tear while taking a run. But he continued batting and also bowled his quota of 10 overs, but it was clear that he was battling through pain. He had a scan in Chennai shortly after the game, but reportedly, he is pain-free.

"Shakib is getting better. He is pain-free. But we will know the full scenario when he hits the net tomorrow. He will also run between the wickets. We are hopeful that he can play against India. He worked in a swimming session and some upper-half work in the gym today. There will be a scan tomorrow, which will give us a clearer picture of his situation,” team director Khaled Mahmud was quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

Bangladesh team was given a two-day break in Pune, and they will return to training on Tuesday. They have so far won only one of their three games.

“It depends on his 100% fitness”- Khaled Mahmud says Shakib Al Hasan won’t be risked

Team director Khaled Mahmud said that all signs point towards Shakib feeling well, but they will monitor him closely during Tuesday's practice session in Pune. Mahmud said that Shakib wanted to play, but his inclusion was not so straight-forward.

"Usually, these injuries produce a lot of pain. It is tough to walk around even. Shakib is quite well. It is giving us hope. Shakib wants to play, so if the situation is that he is 85-90% fit, like he was in the last game after getting injured, we are hopeful too. But it depends on his 100% fitness,” Mahmud added.

Mahmud said that they will still be cautious about not risking Shakib with six matches remaining for Bangladesh in the World Cup.

"We don't want him to miss the rest of the tournament after playing one more game. There are six matches remaining. It is the doctor and physio's call. We don't want to trouble him in the long term. If he gets clearance from the physio, he will play,” he added.