After captain Najmul Hossain got out, Bangladesh faced a collapse. Within just 15 runs, two more experienced batsmen, Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Mahmudullah, were also dismissed. Mushfiqur Rahim came in next but struggled to read Gajanfar’s carrom ball and was stumped after just three balls, scoring only 1 run.
On that tough night in Sharjah, chasing Afghanistan’s target of 235, Mushfiq’s dismissal raised questions—especially regarding why he was batting at number seven. Since the 2015 World Cup match against Sri Lanka in Melbourne, Mushfiq Rahim has rarely batted this low, typically occupying the fourth or fifth position in ODIs, and mostly batting at six over the last year and a half. But why did he come in at seven this time, especially in such a critical moment?
The reason, as it turns out, is concerning. A source from the team in the UAE reported that Mushfiqur Rahim injured the fingers of his left hand while keeping wickets toward the end of Afghanistan’s innings. After some initial treatment, he batted later, allowing time for the pain to subside.
Unfortunately, there’s more bad news—due to this injury, Mushfiqur Rahim will miss the second ODI in Sharjah on Saturday. Preliminary examinations suggested a possible fracture in his finger, which will be confirmed after further tests today.
A team source has shared that based on initial reports, it’s almost certain Mushfiqur Rahim will miss the next ODI against Afghanistan. Whether he’ll be fit for the final match on November 11 remains unclear.
Previously, Mushfiqur Rahim sustained a shoulder injury during the Pakistan tour, playing against India and South Africa with special accommodations. To avoid aggravating his injury, he had to follow some restrictions while batting and fielding during those series.
