Rahi to take ‘at least 15 days’ to return following injury

Bangladesh pacer Abu Jayed Rahi injured himself during the match between Rajshahi and Fortune Barishal while he was running up to bowl a delivery yesterday.

Rahi looked in extreme agony and was stretchered off the pitch. The bowler was taken into the BCB medical room for assessment and treatment but while it was initially understood to be a muscle cramp, today Barishal team physiotherapist Joy Biswas revealed that Rahi had a muscle tear.

"Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi got injured in yesterday's match and after physically examining his left quadriceps muscle, it looks like he has a first-degree tear in the rectus femoris muscle.

"It will take at least fifteen days for him to get back to cricket," Biswas said.

The injury means that Rahi will be unable to play anymore part in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup which ends on December 18.

Rahi was one of the better performers with the ball -- conceding 11 in 2.1 overs -- in yesterday's game which saw record number of runs scored as Fortune Barishal chased down Rajshahi's 220 with 11 deliveries to spare thanks to Parvez Hossain Emon's 42-ball ton.

Rahi is an important member of the Tigers' Test squad and with West Indies set to arrive next month if the tour does go ahead, the Bangladesh team think tank would have their work cut out to get Rahi up and running before the series.