Bangladesh batter Najmul Hossain Shanto picked up a thigh injury during the second ODI against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday. The injury occurred while he was diving near the boundary line to save a four.
The incident prompted immediate attention from the team physio, who entered the field to assess the situation. Following an initial examination, Shanto left the field alongside the physio and did not return to field for the remainder of the match due to discomfort.
This is not the first time the left-handed batter has suffered such an injury. Earlier this year, he sustained a similar quadriceps strain, which kept him out of action for a considerable period. After rest and rehabilitation, he recovered and returned to the national side.
As of now, the extent of Shanto’s latest injury remains uncertain. However, team sources have confirmed that he is currently under rest and ice packs are being applied to the affected area. He will remain under 24-hour observation.
There is a possibility that Shanto will undergo an X-ray on Sunday, and the results of that scan will determine whether he is fit to play in the series-deciding third ODI in Pallekele on 8 July.
Despite scoring two centuries in the recent Test series, the ODI series has not gone according to plan for the former Bangladesh captain. He made 23 in the first ODI and managed only 14 in the second.
Bangladesh bounced back in the series with a win in the second match, levelling the three-match contest after a 77-run defeat in the opener. The decider in Pallekele now holds all the stakes.