Najmul Hossain Shanto ruled out of Asian Games due to illness

Bangladesh batter Najmul Hossain Shanto has been ruled out of the ongoing Asian Games in Japan due to illness. Shanto has been suffering from a fluctuating low-grade fever since his flight to the tournament, which has left him physically weak.

Medical assessments, including blood tests, identified infectious agents in his system, though tests for influenza and COVID-19 returned negative. Because the medical team determined he would not recover in time to participate in the tournament's final stages, Shanto is being sent home to Bangladesh to recover.

His withdrawal comes as Bangladesh prepares for a quarter-final match against Malaysia. The recovery period is also expected to allow the Test captain to prepare for an upcoming one-off Test match against Afghanistan scheduled for October 9.