Mashrafe out of WC?
NOT AGAIN: Bangladesh pace bowler Mashrafe Bin Mortaza hobbles out of the BKSP after suffering yet another knee injury yesterday. INSET: Mashrafe lies on the ground immediately after twisting his knee while running between the wickets in a Premier Division Cricket League match against BKSP yesterday. The Tigers' strike bowler is likely to miss the World Cup in February.Photo: STAR
The cricket arena was holding its collective breath after pace spearhead Mashrafe Bin Mortaza sustained an injury on his right knee during a Premier Division Cricket League match at BKSP yesterday.
Following an X-ray and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) sports physician Dr Manirul Amin confirmed that Mashrafe had possibly sustained a serious injury and said that the provisional report suggested a partial tear of the reconstructed ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) of the bowler's right knee.
"We will wait for the final report which is due tomorrow [Wednesday] before deciding on the next course of action. We will also consult orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Young in Melbourne," informed Amin.
A dejected Mashrafe was awaiting Young's advice.
"Right at this moment it's impossible to say how big the injury is and how many days it takes to recover from it. I'm sending the all reports to Dr Young today [Tuesday] and I have to wait for his comments. I am feeling pain in the injured knee and there is swelling," said Mashrafe.
Dr Amin was not also ready to make any predictions on Mashrafe's return but a tear to the cruciate ligament is the worst possible news for the fast bowler.
Generally any injury dealing with ACL takes upto 3-4 months of recovery time. So with less than two months to go for the showcase event, the chances for the "Narail Express" of appearing at the World Cup are very slim.
"Right at this moment we can't say anything about his return. We are sending all the findings to Dr Young today and we have to wait for his suggestion," said BCB's media committee chairman Jalal Yunus.
The incident took place during Abahani's innings against BKSP when Mashrafe, the batsman on strike, played the ball to square-leg, and called for a single. Batting partner Farhad Hossain refused the run and Mashrafe, half way down the pitch, turned and fell on his knee.
Mashrafe was taken immediately to Apollo Hospital where he was examined by orthopedic consultant and knee specialist Prof. M Ali.
The injury comes at the worst possible time for Mashrafe as the pace spearhead has been working hard and seemed to have recovered some of his rhythm after returning from an ankle injury he had suffered during the first one-day international against New Zealand in October this year.
Mashrafe had only returned to international cricket against New Zealand after he had been sidelined for a long time following operations on both knees.
Dr Young had performed arthroscopic surgery on both knees of Mashrafe in August last year after he had injured his right knee during the first Test against the West Indies at St. Vincent in July that year.
And ominously, it was then said that it might not be possible to perform another surgery on his knees if he suffered another injury.
Mashrafe has been living under the cloud of injury since he made his international debut in 2001. He had to undergo surgery in 2003 also under the guidance of Dr Young after suffering a twisted knee during the second Test against England in Chittagong which kept him out of Tests for over a year. He has also been suffering from persistent back injury.
Comments