Bangladesh pace sensation Nahid Rana has been officially ruled out of the third and final T20I against Zimbabwe due to a severe side strain. According to a report by Cricnuzz, the 23-year-old fast bowler's participation is in serious doubt for the upcoming Test tour of Australia next month.
He suffered an injury during the second T20I in Bulawayo on Friday, which Bangladesh won by 34 runs to level the series. The final match will be played on Sunday, July 19. The young bowler's absence leaves the team management with a major selection headache as they look to win the bilateral series.
Nahid Rana Suffers Injury After Stellar Performance
Nahid Rana delivered his career-best performance in the series opener, where he claimed four wickets for 26 runs. However, he complained of pain on the left side of his body in the subsequent fixture.
The right-arm quick managed to bowl only 2.3 overs, taking one wicket for 15 runs, before leaving the field to seek medical attention. After assessments, the talented young bowler immediately began a rehabilitation program for the side strain with the medical staff.
The setback comes at a difficult time for Bangladesh, as Rana had quickly become a key part of the bowling attack. His raw pace and ability to generate bounce gave the team an important advantage.
Missing Nahid Rana in Australia Tour Would Be a Big Blow - National Selector
Speaking to Cricbuzz on Saturday, a member of the national selection panel raised concern over Nahid Rana's availability for the Australia tour. The selector noted that the team management is awaiting the official scan reports to evaluate the full extent of the damage.
"He (Rana) is certainly missing the third T20I against Zimbabwe and we feel the side strain will take at least two to three weeks to recover," said the selector.
"We are waiting for the scan report while we keep our fingers crossed, as we still have some time before the first Test against Australia," he said.
"The way he is bowling at the moment, missing him in the Australia tour would be a big blow, so we are waiting to see the depth of his injury and actually how many days he will take to recover," he added.
Nahid Rana in race against time for Australia Tests
Nahid Rana is in a race against time to regain match fitness. He is expected to need around three weeks to recover, leaving very little time to prepare for the opening Test against Australia.
The team's medical staff will closely monitor his recovery. They will focus on specialized rehabilitation exercises to heal the strained muscle without risking further injury. They hope the right-arm pacer will resume light bowling before the squad leaves for Australia.
Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto held a meeting with the national selectors at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday. The main focus was to finalize the squad and assess backup pace-bowling options in case Rana does not recover in time.
Bangladesh will need a strong and fit pace attack to make the most of Australia's bouncy pitches. The two-match Test series will begin at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin on August 13. Notably, the second Test will be played at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay from August 22.
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