Big blow for Bangladesh as Litton Das ruled out of Asia Cup

Das could has yet to recover from a viral fever. File photo: AFP/Munir Uz Zaman

Dhaka: Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das was on Wednesday ruled out of the Asia Cup due to illness, dealing a blow to the side ahead of their campaign opener against hosts Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

Das has yet to recover from a viral fever, and he did not travel to Sri Lanka whom Bangladesh face in their opening match on Thursday.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has named 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Anamul Haque Bijoy as Das' replacement.

Anamul Haque has played 44 ODIs and has scored 1,254 runs including  three hundreds. His last ODI appearance for Bangladesh was in December, 2022, against India.

National Selection Panel chairman Minhajul Abedin said: "He (Anamul) has been in the runs in domestic cricket and we have continued to monitor him in the Bangladesh Tigers programme. He was always in our consideration.

Due to Litton's unavailability, we needed a top-order batter who could keep wicket and Anamul got the nod."

Bangladesh squad: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Anamul Haque Bijoy.

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