Litton injury disrupts Tigers' World Cup plans

Bangladesh's preparations for the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup have suffered an early setback after regular ODI captain Litton Das was ruled out of the UAE tri-series with a right hip joint injury.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed on October 17 that Litton would miss the entire tournament after an MRI scan detected a problem in his right hip. National team physiotherapist Bayjedul Islam Khan said the batter had reported discomfort a day before the opening match against Zimbabwe.

Litton attempted a fitness test on match day but failed to meet the required benchmark, ruling him out of the series. The injury came at an inconvenient time for Bangladesh, with the tournament intended to provide valuable preparation for next year's World Cup.

Litton had been appointed full-time ODI captain earlier this year as Bangladesh began planning for the global event. The UAE series was expected to be his first assignment in the format since the appointment.

In his absence, vice-captain Towhid Hridoy led Bangladesh against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi. The Tigers lost that match by 99 runs, adding pressure on the stand-in captain and the rest of the batting line-up ahead of their next fixture.