Mustafizur Rahman ruled out of Sussex’s County schedule due to injury

Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman is unlikely to play any further part for British county team Sussex this season after he was diagnosed with a tear in his shoulder, cricket officials said Wednesday. Paceman Mustafizur, nicknamed Fizz, aggravated an old shoulder injury during his short stint with Sussex in the ongoing NatWest Twenty20 competition, playing two matches before being sidelined. The county side rested Mustafizur from Royal London Cup matches against Gloucestershire and Hampshire but hoped he would be fit enough to return for Thursday’s clash with Glamorgan. It had been planned that Mustafizur would join Sussex for the whole of their Blast and One-Day Cup campaigns. But he only arrived in time to play his first match away to Essex last week. ALSO READ: Mustafizur Rahman to miss Sussex’s match against Gloucestershire due to injury: Reports

Sussex said Wednesday that Mustafizur would play no part in their upcoming Blast or One-Day Cup group matches. “Under the direction of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, (he) is due to have a scan this week to ascertain whether or not he will be fit enough to play in any knockout matches should Sussex qualify for the latter stages of either competition,” a club statement said. “It is hoped that there is a possibility of him returning to Hove in the future.” However, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) spokesman Jalal Yunus said his chance of playing the remaining matches for the county side looked “very bleak” after an MRI scan suggested a tear in his shoulder.

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“We will have another MRI report today to get a full assessment of his conditions,” Yunus told reporters in Dhaka. “But, at the moment I don’t see any chance that he will play any further matches for Sussex this season.” Bangladesh national team physio Baizidul Islam said the initial MRI report had detected a Superior Labrum, Anterior to Posterior tear in Mustafizur’s shoulder. “Usually it requires surgery for complete recovery. But players can continue playing with painkillers,” he said. Bangladesh cricketers Tamim Iqbal and Nasir Hossain have suffered similar injuries in the past but continued to play without surgery. ALSO READ: Mustafizur Rahman special bowler, says Luke Wright

But BCB’s Yunus said that because Mustafizur is a bowler, the board will not take any risks. “He is a young player with a long future ahead of him. Naturally we would love to get long service from him,” said Yunus. Mustafizur’s stint with Sussex was delayed twice over concerns he may be burnt out and visa complications. He finally joined the county side on July 21, making an instant impact with 4-23 against Essex in his debut match in the NatWest T20 Blast tournament. However, he went wicket-less against Surrey in his second match.