Opener Liton Das has joined the Bangladesh cricket team in Pakistan today (September 5) following a full recovery from a recent bout of viral fever. 

Initially, his illness prevented him from traveling with the team to Sri Lanka for the tournament's opening match.

The Bangladesh team is currently in Lahore for the Super Four matches of the Asia Cup and is scheduled to face Pakistan in their first Super Four match. Despite a setback in their first game against Sri Lanka, where they lost by five wickets, Bangladesh secured their spot in the Super Four stage with an impressive 89-run victory over Afghanistan in their last group match in Lahore on Sunday.

Chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu explained the decision to bring Liton Das back into the squad, citing some injury concerns within the Asia Cup squad. They received clearance from the BCB Medical Team regarding Liton's health, leading to his inclusion.

However, it remains uncertain whether Liton will play in the opening game of the Super Four for Bangladesh. Initially ruled out of the tournament, he was replaced by Anamul Haque Bijoy. Notably, Bijoy did not feature in either of Bangladesh's two group matches. 

The team opened with debutant Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Naim Sheikh in the match against Sri Lanka. Tanzid was then rested in the subsequent match against Afghanistan, as Bangladesh experimented with Mehidy Hasan Miraz as a makeshift opener alongside Naim Sheikh. Miraz's stellar performance, scoring 112 runs against Afghanistan, sparked a debate about whether he should continue to open in the Super Four match against Pakistan.

BDST: 1416 HRS, SEP 05, 2023
MSK/SMS