The 12th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set to begin in two days, with the country’s premier T20 tournament getting underway on December 26 in Sylhet. Rangpur Riders, however, have suffered an early setback as off-spinner Nayeem Hasan has been ruled out of the opening two phases after picking up a side strain.
Nayeem sustained the injury during a practice match against Rajshahi Warriors last Sunday. Sources from the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s medical department said he will need at least two weeks of rest, followed by another week of rehabilitation and match fitness work. He will only be cleared to return once he receives medical approval.
As a result, Rangpur will be without Nayeem for both the Sylhet and Chattogram legs of the tournament. By that stage, the competition is expected to be approaching its business end. The franchise have already begun searching for a replacement, although they remain hopeful of having the off-spinner available for the Dhaka phase.
