Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim won’t be available for Friday’s (September 15) Asia Cup 2023 fixture against India to spend time with his wife and newborn daughter.

Having lost to Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Super-4 round, the Tigers are already out of the competition that is considered a preparatory ground for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India.

Mushfiqur had flown back to Bangladesh for the birth of his second child, born on Monday (September 11).

He was initially expected to rejoin the team for the India match in Colombo but will now remain in Dhaka, the Bangladesh Cricket Board said.

“Mushfiqur has informed us that his wife is still recovering, and he needs to be by her side and with their children,” BCB operations chief Mohammed Jalal Yunus said.

“We fully understand his situation, and have decided to permit him to skip the game.”

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who also returned home after losing to Sri Lanka on September 9, reunited with the team in Colombo on Wednesday (September 13).

Bangladesh’s Asia Cup 2023 campaign will come to an end with the India game. They will host New Zealand for three ODIs later this month to fine-tune their preparations for the World Cup.

(With AFP Inputs)