Mashrafe suffers minor hand injuries in road accident

Mashrafe Mortaza, Bangladesh's ODI captain, was involved in a road accident in Mirpur and suffered minor injuries on Thursday. He sustained skin lacerations on both his hands and knee after a bus clipped a cycle-rickshaw on which Mashrafe was travelling, on his way to the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

"When I saw the bus approaching towards my rickshaw, I jumped out in anticipation," Mashrafe said. "The tyre was broken and I tried to save my legs by diving out of the rickshaw. I am very lucky to have escaped with only some skin damage. My car was taking my child to the doctor for vaccination so I took the rickshaw to the ground. It is a 10-minute ride from my house."

The police caught the offending bus driver immediately. The rickshaw-puller was unhurt while the on-duty traffic police wanted to take Mashrafe to a nearby hospital. Mashrafe opted to come to the ground where he received first-aid assistance at the BCB's medical room. He didn't take part in training and later went to a clinic near to his house where his bandages were changed.

Bangladesh physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said that the injuries were minor. "Mashrafe was injured in a road accident while coming to the ground this morning. These are minor injuries. He has suffered lacerations on his hands and his right knee has swollen slightly. I think he will recover quickly," he said.

Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurasingha said that Mashrafe will be monitored closely until the start of the ODI series against India on June 18.

"This is unfortunate. We are concerned about his palm," Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurasingha told ESPNcricinfo. "But we will give him maximum chance to recover in time for the ODI series."