Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has been ruled out of the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya due to a persistent infection and is scheduled to return to Dhaka on September 29. The Bangladesh team management has named Shamim Hossain Patwari as his replacement ahead of the quarter-final fixture against Malaysia.
Shanto has been battling a low-grade fever and an infection for the past four days. While the symptoms persisted, medical evaluations conducted in Japan cleared the captain of both COVID-19 and influenza.
Team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan detailed the medical situation: “Shanto had been suffering from fever since we landed. It has been four days already, but the fever has persisted. It is a low-grade fever, and tests conducted here have confirmed evidence of an infection, although he has tested negative for influenza and COVID-19.”
The withdrawal of the top-order batter occurs as Bangladesh prepares for their opening knockout match on Tuesday. Although the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has yet to officially confirm a stand-in captain, senior player Litton Das is expected to lead the side in Shanto’s absence.
The tournament in Nagoya has already been heavily impacted by weather conditions. Both India and Pakistan have progressed to the semi-finals after their quarter-final matches were washed out, with tournament regulations favoring the higher-seeded teams. Bangladesh would similarly advance to the semi-finals if their match against Malaysia is abandoned.
Litton Das commented on the weather disruptions currently affecting the schedule: “If the match doesn’t take place, we can’t do anything. No one has control over the rain.”
Shamim Hossain Patwari joins the squad as a middle-order batting option. Shanto’s health will undergo further assessment by the medical team once he arrives in Dhaka to determine his availability for subsequent international commitments.
