The ICC World Cup 2023 event technical committee has granted Bangladesh’s request to enlist Anamul Haque Bijoy as a replacement for Shakib Al Hasan, who was ruled out of the tournament due to a finger injury.

Shakib suffered a fracture in his left index finger during a match against Sri Lanka on November 7, 2023, while batting in his team’s three-wicket victory at the Arun Jaitley stadium. An X-ray confirmed the fracture, forcing him to miss the upcoming match against Australia on November 11th in Pune.

Bayjedul Islam Khan, the physio of the Bangladesh men’s team, stated that Shakib would need three to four weeks to recover and would return home on November 7 to begin his rehabilitation.

“Shakib was struck on his left index finger early in his innings but continued to bat with supportive taping and painkillers,” Khan explained. “He underwent an emergency X-ray in Delhi after the game which confirmed the fracture on the left PIP joint. Recovery is estimated at three to four weeks. He will leave for Bangladesh today to begin his rehab,” he further added.

The ICC has now officially announced the approval for Anamul to replace Shakib in the squad for the final match against Australia.

“The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has approved Anamul Haque Bijoy as a replacement for Shakib Al Hasan in the Bangladesh squad,” as stated on the ICC’s website.

Anamul Haque has played 45 ODIs in his career, amassing 1230 runs, including three centuries and five half-centuries. He is a 30-year-old cricketer with a solid ODI track record. On November 6, there was a controversial incident involving Shakib Al Hasan. During a match, Angelo Mathews came out to bat for Sri Lanka after losing a wicket. However, Mathews’ helmet strap broke while he was adjusting it, and he signalled for a new helmet. Shakib, the bowler, immediately appealed for ‘Timed Out’.

The fourth umpire, Adrian Holdstock, ruled that Mathews exceeded the two-minute limit for getting ready to face the first ball. Mathews expressed his displeasure, saying, “Absolutely disgraceful. We all play to win but I never thought a team or player would stoop to such levels to get a wicket.” The three-wicket defeat eliminated Sri Lanka from the World Cup. “I did nothing wrong. I reached the crease in time. It was an equipment malfunction and I was not wasting time or trying to gain an advantage. Common sense should have prevailed.”

In defense, Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s captain, stated in a post-match press conference that he followed the rules and had no regrets. This received support from former England captain Michael Vaughan, who commented, “It’s utter nonsense talking about the spirit of the game, the umpire’s got it right.”