Bangladesh’s Asian Games campaign has suffered a fresh blow after batter Najmul Hossain Shanto was ruled out of the Games with a persistent fever and an infection, just a day before the Tigers’ quarter-final against Malaysia.
Shanto has been battling a low-grade fever since Bangladesh arrived in Nagoya and has now been ill for four days. He missed Monday’s scheduled practice as his condition failed to improve.
Tests conducted in Japan confirmed evidence of an infection, although Shanto tested negative for both influenza and COVID-19.
National team physiotherapist Bayjedul Islam Khan said Shanto had become “very weak” and would not recover in time to feature in the Games.
“He is understandably very weak and is not expected to recover in time to play any part in these Games. Therefore, he is flying back home,” Bayjed said.
Shanto was assessed by doctors from the Bangladesh contingent, BCB physiotherapists and a local medical team before being ruled out. He will leave Japan for Dhaka on Tuesday on the earliest available flight.
