Papon clueless as Liton set to join the Asia Cup squad

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon was taken aback with the development that opener Liton Das is all set to fly for Pakistan to join the Asia Cup team.

"First of all, I am not aware that Liton is going to Pakistan today. I did not hear it. I just inquired about his update today. If he goes to Pakistan, then I was supposed to know it," Papon told reporters today. 

According to BCB officials, Liton will fly to Lahore via Doha tonight. 

When reporters informed him that Liton is going to take the Qatar-bound flight at 9pm tonight, Papon said: "Is he going? The selectors came here [at his Dhanmondi corporate office] … they even didn't [inform].

"How will he go? Apart from BCB's approval, there is a question of approval from ACC [Asian Cricket Council].

"Today I talked with captain [Shakib Al Hasan], coach [Chandika Hathurusingha], selector Razzak [Abdur Razzak] and Jalal Bhai [cricket operations committee chairman Jalal Yunus] …they didn't say anything. This is something new," he added.

Earlier, chief selector Minhajul Abedin Nannu said: "Liton is now doing fine. There are a few injury concerns in the team [Asia Cup squad]. We need to discuss these injury issues with the team management and find out if any replacement is required." 

Bangladesh included Anamul Haque Bijoy as a replacement for Liton for the Asia Cup. Bijoy is yet to feature for the Tigers in the six-nation tournament. 

However, as BCB has already included a replacement of Liton to the Tigers' Asia Cup squad, the board can not directly add Liton to the squad anymore. The board will have to include Liton as a replacement for someone else in the team.

The Tigers have a few injury concerns in the Asia Cup squad, with Mehedi Hasan Miraz having a back issue, among a few others carrying minor injury concerns.

Bangladesh went with a makeshift opening pair in their last game against Afghanistan yesterday, and the gamble paid off as Miraz scored a century in the Tigers' massive 89-run victory in Lahore. The win also ensured Bangladesh's spot in the Super Four.