Asia Cup 2023: Big blow to Bangladesh as Liton Das ruled out, like-for-like replacement named

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Bangladesh opener Liton Das has been ruled out of the Asia Cup 2023 after failing to recover on time from his viral fever. The 28-year-old did not travel with Bangladesh to Sri Lanka on August 27 due to the same reason.

Anamul Haque has been named as a like-for-like replacement for the wicketkeeper-batter who is also Bangladesh's leading run-scorer in ODIs since January 2022. Liton Das has scored 878 runs in 25 innings at an average of 41.80. The right-hand batter has scored seven fifties and a century during this period.

Haque has played 44 ODIs for Bangladesh and scored 1254 runs at an average of 30.58. The 30-year-old from Khulna has five fifties and three hundreds to his name in the format. Apart from batting in the top-order, Anamul Haque will also serve as a back-up wicket-keeper for Mushfiqur Rahim and will join the Bangladesh Squad on Wednesday. Former captain Tamim Iqbal is also out with injury.

"He [Anamul] has been in the runs in domestic cricket and we have continued to monitor him in the Bangladesh Tigers programme. He was always in our consideration," Minhajul Abedin, Chairman of the national selection panel, said.

"Due to Litton's unavailability, we needed a top-order batter who could keep wicket and Anamul got the nod," he added.

Earlier, pacer Ebadot Hossain was ruled out of the continental event due to a knee injury he sustained in the ODI series against Afghanistan last month. Uncapped 20-year-old fast bowler Tanzim Hasan was named as his replacement.

Bangladesh, who are chasing their first Asia Cup title, are placed in Group B alongside Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. The Shakib Al Hasan-led side will kick off their campaign against Sri Lanka on August 31 in Pallekele. They will play their second group match against Afghanistan on September 3 in Lahore.