Is Liton doubtful for Australia T20Is?

Opener Liton Das is currently with the Bangladesh team in Harare and is expected to return home on the scheduled date of July 29 with the rest of the members of the team, informed Bangladesh Team media manager Rabeed Imam today.

"Liton is here in Harare with the team and will be leaving for Bangladesh on the scheduled date," Rabeed told The Daily Star over the phone today. 

However, Rabeed later retracted his comment, mentioning that Liton is, in fact, leaving Zimbabwe on Monday night, two days before the team's scheduled time for departure from Harare.  

Earlier, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cricket operations chairman Akram Khan also informed that the opener would be returning to the country from Zimbabwe soon for personal reasons. That also meant Liton would be missing the Tigers' upcoming five-match T20I series against Australia for failing to comply with the quarantine protocols agreed for the series by the two boards. 

Cricket Australia (CA) and BCB had both agreed to a 10-day quarantine in bio-secure bubble for players of both sides ahead of the upcoming series. Leaving Zimbabwe early would have rendered Liton unavailable for the Australia series. 

"Liton is expected to return home soon as he wants to be with one of his family members who is sick. He was not available for the first two T20Is [against Zimbabwe] and we cannot say anything if someone says that he wants to be with his ailing family member," Akram had informed earlier today.

Before that BCB chief selector Minhajul Abedin mentioned that Liton might miss Bangladesh's first T20I against Australia due to a thigh injury while ace paceman Mustafizur Rahman, who also picked up an ankle injury in their latest tour of Zimbabwe, is 'doing alright' but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is yet to receive any update regarding his injury. 

"Liton will be available for selection after August 3 and he might miss the first T20I against Australia [on August 3]. Mustafizur is doing alright and we don't have much doubt about his participation in the upcoming series. However, we are yet to receive any observations regarding his injury," said Minhajul to The Daily Star today.  

Liton suffered a left thigh injury during the Tigers' first T20I against Zimbabwe and had to sit out the remaining two games of the three-match series. Meanwhile, Mustafizur, who picked up an ankle injury during a tour game on July 14, could only play in one ODI and one T20I against Zimbabwe. 

As things look like so far, it seems that Liton will be missing the Australia series for not maintaining the required quarantine protocols. But with so much miscommunication on the part of the BCB, it would not be a surprise if there is a further development on the matter.

Bangladesh are already without two of their experienced players -- Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim -- for their upcoming five-match T20I series against Australia, starting on August 3.

Tamim, who missed the one-off Test against Zimbabwe due to a knee injury and played the three-match ODI series only by 'managing pain', has missed the T20Is against Zimbabwe and will also not be available for the Australia series. Mushfiqur, who was forced to leave Zimbabwe after the one-off Test due to a family crisis, will have to sit out the T20s against Australia for not meeting the quarantine requirements for the Australia series.