Sajidul replaces injured Rasel

Sajidul replaces injured Rasel

17 December

Bangladesh's hope to secure victory in the one dayers against New Zealand received a severe blow as their premium seam bowler Syed Rasel has been ruled out of the entire tour due to a collarbone injury. Rasel sustained the injury in the warm-up match against Northern Districts in which Tigers succumbed to a 7 wicket loss.

Bangladesh will miss the service of Syed Rasel against the Kiwis

Young left arm seamer Sajidul Islam (19), who is enjoying a fine form in the domestic cricket, has been named as the replacement of Rasel. Sajidul will fly to New Zealand on Tuesday to join the rest of the squad members.

According to tigercricket.com, the official website of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Rasel was examined by an orthopaedic surgeon in Hamilton Monday and the report is expected by Tuesday morning. He will undergo further investigation and treatment before a final assessment on his condition is made.

Meanwhile chief selector Rafiqul Alam expressed his optimism about young Sajidul who is currently the leading wicket taker in the domestic first class competition.

"Sajidul is a bowler identical to Rasel and is in the peak of form in the ongoing National Cricket League. So the selection committee unanimously picked him as the replacement of Rasel," said Rafiqul.

Bangladesh plays another warm-up one-dayer against Northern Districts in Hamilton tomorrow, ahead of a one-day game against Auckland on Friday.

They play the first of three one-day internationals against New Zealand in Auckland on December 26.

The one-day series is followed by two tests, the first starting in Dunedin on Jan. 4. The second begins Jan. 12 in Wellington.