Litton out of Asia Cup due to fever, Bijoy called in as replacement

Bangladesh opening batter Litton Kumer Das, who could not travel to Sri Lanka with the Asia Cup squad due to viral fever, has been ruled out of the tournament as he has not recovered from the illness.

The National Selection Panel of BCB has named 30-year-old fellow right-hander Anamul Haque Bijoy as Litton's replacement. BCB confirmed the news through a press release on Wednesday.

Bijoy was picked on the basis of his domestic league performance and even though he was not in the initial 32-man squad of the Asia Cup, selector Minhajul Abedin said he has always been in BCB's consideration. 

"He (Anamul) has been in the runs in domestic cricket and we have continued to monitor him in the Bangladesh Tigers programme. He was always in our consideration," Minhajul said in the BCB statement.

"Due to Litton's unavailability, we needed a top-order batter who could keep wicket and Anamul got the nod," he added.

Zakir Hasan, another top-order batter was in the pecking order who can also keep wickets. 

Anamul Haque has played 44 ODIs and has scored 1254 runs which include three hundreds. His last ODI appearance for Bangladesh was in December last year against India. He is due to arrive in Sri Lanka to join the Bangladesh team later today.

Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup

Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Anamul Haque Bijoy