Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s Injury, Bangladesh Faces Setback Ahead of Pakistan Test Series

Bangladesh has been dealt a significant blow ahead of their two-Test series against Pakistan as key batter Mahmudul Hasan Joy has been ruled out due to a groin injury. Joy, who was a crucial part of Bangladesh’s batting lineup, suffered the injury while fielding in a four-day warm-up match against Pakistan Shaheens in Islamabad.

The 23-year-old had shown promising form leading up to the series, scoring 65 runs in the first innings of the warm-up match and contributing 69 and 65 runs in the High-Performance Unit’s four-day games. However, his injury has forced him to be rested for a period of three weeks, as confirmed by BCB chief physician Debashish Chowdhury.

Joy’s absence is a significant setback for the Bangladesh team as they prepare for their Test series against Pakistan, part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25. The first Test is scheduled to start on August 21 in Islamabad, where both teams are eager to enhance their positions on the WTC points table.

The squads for the series have been announced with Pakistan including players like Shan Masood, Babar Azam, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, while Bangladesh will be led by Najmul Hossain Shanto and includes experienced players such as Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim.