SL vs BAN | Shoriful Islam ruled out of Test series due to fractured hand

Bangladesh's Shoriful Islam has been ruled out of the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka after copping with a blow to his hand in the final session on Day Four. At the start of play on Day Five, it was revealed that he had suffered a right-hand fracture and will most likely sit out the second Test in Dhaka as well.

In Bangladesh's 167th over, Shoriful got hit on his non-bowling arm by a Kasun Rajitha delivery trying to fend it on the leg side. He soon was deemed retired hurt, scoring an 11-ball 3. Ebadot Hossain is in line to replace the left-handed bowler for the Mirpur Test, which starts on Monday (May 23) in the capital city of Dhaka.

"Shoriful Islam had a contusion of the right hand while batting. After the fourth day's play, an X-ray was carried out, which has revealed a fracture on the base of the 5th metacarpal bone. Such injuries tend to take around three weeks to heal, followed by a couple of weeks' rehab. He will not be available to play for four to five weeks," the BCB press release mentioned.

The 22-year-old remained wicketless in the first innings, bowling 20 overs for 55 runs, including three maiden overs. The five-Test-old player was making his return from an ankle injury that saw him miss the Test series in South Africa. Just ahead of the Lankan series, Shoriful had met specialists in Singapore to assess the abdominal issues that were giving him some trouble.

There is still no clarity on Tamim Iqbal, who retired hurt on Day Three of the Test after scoring his tenth red-ball hundred.

For Sri Lanka, Vishwa Fernando was replaced by Kasun Rajitha as a concussion substitute after the former was hit on his helmet off Islam's bowling on Day two. Day four saw on-field umpire Richard Kettlebrough leave the ground after falling ill due to a heatwave. 

The visitors have taken a 38-run lead over the hosts at the time of publishing, with Dimuth Karuratne and Kusal Mendis batting at 34* and 48*, respectively. Oshado Fernando ran out, while the nightwatchman Lasith Embuldeniya was bowled for two by Taijul Islam, who also inflicted the runout.