Big blow for Bangladesh as pacer Ebadot Hossain gets ruled out of ODI World Cup 2023

Bangladesh pacer Ebadot Hossain is confirmed to miss the eagerly-anticipated 2023 ODI World Cup which is scheduled to be played in India during October-November. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed that Ebadot will undergo an operation to treat his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury which will keep him confined to the sidelines for the entirety of the World Cup.

For the unversed, the pacer sustained an ACL injury during the recently concluded ODI series against Afghanistan. In the process, Ebadot had to undergo six weeks of rehab, however, the injury required further management, as confirmed by the BCB medical team. The BCB chief selector, Minhajul Abedin, confirmed his exclusion from the setup for the big-ticket event and stated that the pacer will need time to recover instead of forcing his return. 

"He (Ebadot) will not be available for us in the World Cup. It's a big blow for us as he will require operation for his knee. Following the operation he will certainly take some time for rehabilitation purpose, at least three to four months, so we cannot consider him for World Cup,” confirmed Minhajul Abedin as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Earlier, Ebadot was named in the 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2023, however, with the injury in place, the BCB were forced to rule him out of the event. The management confirmed the pacer's exclusion from the ACC event and announced uncapped player Tanzim Hasan Sakib as his replacement. Ebadot made his ODI debut in 2022, during the third ODI match against Zimbabwe, and has since then featured in 12 matches and claimed 22 scalps.

Ebadot is undergoing an operation, it will take time to recover: BCB chief physician

Dr. Debashish Chowdhury, BCB’s chief physician, confirmed that the pacer is undergoing an operation in the UK. In addition to this, the think tank will chalk out a rehabilitation plan following the operation which is likely to take a couple of months for the pacer to return to competitive action.

"Yes, Ebadot (Hossain) is undergoing an operation. We will work out a rehabilitation plan for him after the operation. There is pretty much nothing we can do now that he had to go for an operation. As you know, it takes some time to recover,” Dr. Debashish Chowdhury told ‘The Daily Star’.

Meanwhile, the Bangla Tigers are set to kickstart their Asia Cup campaign against co-hosts Sri Lanka on Thursday, August 31, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in Kandy.