Dhaka, Oct 30 (IANS) Bangladesh batter Mominul Haque faces a race against time to be fit for the second Test against West Indies, beginning in Sylhet on November 5, after sustaining a head injury during the opening Test in Dhaka on Friday. The left-handed batter has shown signs of concussion and will need medical clearance before returning to competitive action.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed that Mominul would take no further part in the ongoing Test, with wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali Anik drafted in as his concussion substitute for the remainder of the match.
The incident occurred during the 78th over of the West Indies’ first innings on the third day, shortly after the lunch break. Positioned at short leg, Mominul attempted to complete a catch off the bowling of Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz after Joshua Bishop defended an off-spin delivery with hard hands.
The ball flew towards Mominul, who dived to his left and initially appeared to have secured the catch. However, he lost control of the ball during the fall and landed face-first on the ground while wearing his helmet. He was immediately taken off the field for medical assessment.
Following an evaluation, the team management determined that the batter had displayed concussion symptoms, ruling him out of the remainder of the match.
“Mominul Haque had suffered a head injury while fielding in the 78th over of the West Indies first innings. As he has shown signs of concussion, he has been replaced by Jaker Ali Anik as the concussion sub for the remainder of the match,” the BCB said in a statement.
Mominul’s availability for the second Test will depend on his recovery and the medical assessments conducted in the coming days. Under the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) concussion management protocols, players must follow a graded return-to-play programme, with each stage monitored to ensure symptoms do not recur.
Although concussion symptoms can subside within a few days, recovery periods vary between individuals. The standard recovery window for a head concussion is generally seven to nine days, meaning Mominul’s fitness for the Sylhet Test could remain uncertain until he progresses through the required medical checks.
A return before the standard recovery period would require additional assessment, including the SCOAT6 test conducted by an independent neurological specialist, as stipulated under the relevant ICC protocols.
–IANS
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