Litton Das, a Bangladeshi wicketkeeper-batsman, will miss the whole of the 2023 Asia Cup due to illness

Injuries forced Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Litton Das to withdraw from the Asia Cup cricket competition on Wednesday, delivering the team a setback before their season-opening match against Sri Lanka, the tournament’s hosts, in Pallekele.

As a result of his inability to recuperate from a viral illness, Das missed Bangladesh’s first encounter against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Anamul Haque Bijoy, a 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, has been appointed as Das’ successor by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Later on Wednesday, Bijoy will go to Sri Lanka to join the team.

The BCB said that opening batsman Litton Kumer Das of Bangladesh, who was unable to go to Sri Lanka with the Asia Cup team owing to viral fever, would not be participating in the competition since he had not yet healed.

Anamul Haque Bijoy, a 30-year-old fellow right-hander, has been picked as Litton’s successor by the BCB’s National Selection Panel.

In 44 ODI games, Anamul Haque has scored 1254 runs, including three hundreds. He played in Bangladesh’s last ODI against India in December 2022.

“He (Anamul) has been in the runs in domestic cricket, and we have continued to monitor him in the Bangladesh Tigers program,” BCB National Selection Panel Chairman Minhajul Abedin said. He was always on our minds.

We needed a top-order hitter who could keep wicket since Litton was unavailable, and Anamul got the nod.

Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and Anamul Haque Bijoy make up the Bangladesh squad. Shakib Al Hasan (captain) is also on the team.