Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has been ruled out of the Asia Cup after fracturing his left wrist during the tournament opener against Sri Lanka in Dubai. He is likely to be out of action for at least six weeks.

After being beaten on a pull against Suranga Lakmal, he was hit on his left wrist in the second over. Tamim immediately signalled towards the physiotherapist and retired hurt on 2 off 3 balls. He was later taken to the hospital, where scans revealed a crack on the outside of his index finger, reports the Cricinfo.

However, much to everyone’s surprise, he walked out to bat after the fall of the ninth wicket in the 47th over, with all four fingers, barring the thumb, popping out of his glove to support the padding.

Tamim’s injury put Bangladesh in a dire position, having already lost Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan for ducks to Lasith Malinga in the first over of the match.

‘We took him to hospital only because it was a serious injury, and not just mere bruising,’ Minajul Abedin, the Bangladesh chief selector, told ESPNcricinfo. ‘He was in some pain obviously and it wouldn’t have been prudent to continue batting.’

Tamim is likely to return to Bangladesh on Sunday, with Nazmul Hossain Shanto, the back-up batsman, likely to replace him for Bangladesh’s second game against Afghanistan on September 20. Shanto, too, is recovering from a finger injury, but was named 12th man against Sri Lanka, which is perhaps a sign that his condition is improving.

Tamim’s injury is likely to give the team management more headaches. As such there is still an air of confusion over the status of Shakib’s finger after the player himself said he was just ‘20 to 30% fit’ for the Asia Cup.

Shakib was supposed to undergo surgery on return from the West Indies tour in the first week of August, but was subsequently named in the 16-man Asia Cup squad. The BCB president Nazmul Hassan is understood to have asked him skip the Zimbabwe series in October and November to recuperate.