Injuries in cricket, even though unwelcomed are a part and parcel of the sport. And this time around it was a Pakistan player who sustained one of those during the Pakistan vs Bangladesh ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 clash, being played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Usama Mir, the Pakistan leg-spinner, sustained a finger injury while attempting to field a powerful shot by Litton Das. However, it wasn't a serious injury, much to the delight of the Pakistani fans and supporters as the team only had five bowling options in the absence of Mohammad Nawaz.
The incident unfolded during the seventh over of the Bangladesh batting innings, with Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi delivering the ball. On the fourth ball of the over, Afridi unleashed a bouncer, and Litton Das, the Bangladeshi batter, responded with a fierce pull shot. The ball raced dangerously close to Usama Mir, placed at mid-wicket. Litton's shot was exquisitely timed, but Mir's valiant effort to reach the ball resulted in an injury to his little finger.
After the injury, visuals of blood trickling from Usama's injured finger surfaced online. As a precautionary measure, the Pakistani spinner had to leave the field for a short while before coming back on.
It is worth noting that Usama Mir filled in as a concussion substitute for Shadab Khan when the latter sustained a head injury while attempting a run-out during Pakistan’s previous game in the tournament against South Africa on October 27 (Friday).
What is also worth mentioning is that this marks the second time in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 when Litton Das has been involved in an incident related to player injury. During India’s game against Bangladesh in Pune on October 19, Hardik Pandya attempted to stop a straight drive by Das with his foot during his own bowling. Unfortunately, this effort led to an ankle injury for Pandya, which subsequently forced him to miss India's upcoming fixtures in the World Cup 2023.
In the context of the game between Pakistan and Bangladesh, the match holds immense significance for both teams. Bangladesh, having won the toss, found themselves in dire straits, having lost three wickets with only 38 runs on the scoreboard. The standout performers for Pakistan were Afridi and Mohammad Waseem Jr., who managed to claim three wickets each. Eventually, Bangladesh were bundled out for just 204 runs in 45.1 overs.