Injury rules Bashar out of Africa tour

DHAKA, July 31 (Reuters) Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar has been sidelined for four weeks with a fractured thumb, the Bangladesh Cricket Board said today.

The injury will prevent Bashar from taking any further part in the Zimbabwe tour and has also ruled him out of playing in Kenya next month.

Bashar suffered a fracture on his left thumb when he attempted to catch opener Vusi Subanda at slip in the second one-day international against Zimbabwe in Harare yesterday.

Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 62 runs to level the five-match series 1-1.

Khaled Mashud will take over as stand-in captain for the three remaining matches against Zimbabwe and three one-dayers against Kenya.

Bashar will, however, remain with the team.

REUTERS SKU KN2130