Bangladesh batter Mominul Haque has been ruled out of the remainder of the first Test against West Indies after sustaining a head injury while fielding on Day 3 in Dhaka. The team management named wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali as his official concussion substitute.
The incident occurred shortly after the lunch break during the 78th over of West Indies’ first innings. Mominul was positioned at short leg when West Indies batter Joshua Bishop attempted to defend an off-spin delivery from Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The ball took an awkward bounce and deflection towards Mominul, who tried to grasp it but lost balance as he tumbled face-first onto the turf while wearing his helmet.
He was immediately taken off the field for detailed medical assessment. Bangladesh team physiotherapist Bayjedul Islam Khan later confirmed that Mominul exhibited concussive symptoms, prompting match referee approval for Jaker Ali to step in.
Jaker was called into action sooner than anticipated as Bangladesh’s top order crumbled. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto fell to Roston Chase, leaving the hosts in disarray at 34 for 4 before rain brought an early tea.
A Dramatic Test Recall After 16 Months
The substitution marked Jaker Ali’s return to the Test arena after an absence of 16 months, with his previous appearance dating back to June 2025 against Sri Lanka.
High-Stakes Rescue Mission for Bangladesh
With Bangladesh leading by just 61 runs and four wickets down, Jaker joined Litton Das at the crease with the immense responsibility of navigating West Indies’ spin burst and steering the hosts towards safety.
