Tamim ruled out with thumb injury

Bangladesh cricket team opener and ODI captain Tamim Iqbal has been ruled out of the upcoming Pakistan series, comprising three T20Is and two Tests, due to injury.

Tamim was on the road to recovery for the two-match Test series but a latest scan revealed that he was carrying two fractures on his left thumb, rather than the one previously, and only one of those two fractures is close to healing at the moment. Tamim opted out of the T20 World Cup during the first week of September. Later he took part in the Everest Premier League T20 tournament in Nepal for Bhairahawa Gladiators and while playing the tournament he got injured on his left hand thumb. After returning home, the x-ray revealed one fracture at that time and Tamim was taking treatment since then. It was learnt that Tamim wanted to play only the Test matches of the Pakistan series and had no intention to take part in the three T20Is against the T20 World Cup semi-finalists. While recovering from the injury, Tamim started light practice and net session a few days ago and felt pain again while facing pacers in the nets. As a result, a new x-ray was done yesterday and it was revealed that there was another fracture on his left thumb. Of the two fractures, one was inside his left thumb and the other outside.

The treatment for the last one month was done for the inner side fracture, which is almost healed now. But the outer side fracture was somehow unnoticed from the first x-ray and it remained as it is. Now Tamim is undergoing treatment for the outer side fracture and already splint has been set up on his left thumb again. The first Test between hosts Bangladesh and visiting Pakistan will start on November 26 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong while the second Test will begin on December 4 at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.  It was learnt that for further treatment Tamim is likely to go to England later this month. If surgery is required, then he could be out for at least two months. Bangladesh will play three T20Is against Pakistan in Dhaka starting this Friday, before the two-match Test series beginning in Chattogram on November 26. The second Test in Dhaka is from December 4. This is Bangladesh's first series in the World Test Championship's second cycle. Tamim will now prepare himself for Bangladesh's tour of New Zealand where they will play two Tests in January. Bangladesh's next ODIs, where Tamim is the captain, are against Afghanistan in February next year.