5 Instances when players came out to bat with serious injuries
"Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up", cricket, our beautiful sport is full of champions, champions who refuse to give up. Injuries are an inevitable part of the game, every sportsperson is habitual to injuries but coming back from them is a mammoth task.
In the past, cricketers have put their bodies on the line for their country, for their team and their love for the sport. Yuvraj Singh was diagnosed with cancer after the 2011 World Cup, but despite struggling since the beginning of the World Cup, his faith, his courage and his determination helped him to move on the tough road ahead.
Yesterday, the Sri Lankan side was battling it out with Bangladesh in the first game of the 2018 Asia Cup. Tamim Iqbal was hit on the wrist by a Suranga Lakmal delivery in the second over of the game; the Bangladesh opener has been ruled out of the tournament due to a fractured wrist.
As the news of a fractured wrist broke up, it was announced that Tamim has been ruled out of the Asia Cup, but the spirit of a warrior wouldn't die. As Bangladesh lost their ninth wicket, Mushfiqur Rahim looked at the dressing room with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, to everyone's surprise, Tamim Iqbal was walking out to bat.
With a hole in his glove, he marched on. He marched on to the centre where he had to negotiate one delivery before Rahim would take over. With one hand off the bat, Tamim managed to tap the ball onto the leg side. It was Rahim's prowess which guided Bangladesh to a respectable total after that.
Tamim's courage lifted the spirit of the Bangladesh side, and the hunger to win was evident on their faces. Tamim gave it his all, the Bangladesh side gave it their all, and at the end, they managed to beat Sri Lanka in what can be called as a one-sided encounter.
Tamim made us all nostalgic, let's go down the memory lane and look at some of the best innings while battling a serious injury:
#5 Ian Bell (2010)
Bristol 2010, England taking on Bangladesh in the second one-day international of the three-match series. The hosts were coming off a win in the first ODI against Bangladesh and it was important for them to continue the momentum in the second ODI. Bangladesh batted first and posted 236 on the board.
While attempting a catch, England's Ian Bell landed awkwardly on his foot. He was sent to the hospital immediately to have the necessary scans. England was chasing a total of 237, the chase seemed easy for this star-studded England line-up but Bangladesh had other plans.
They restricted England to 227 for 9. The Bangladeshi side began their celebrations as Ian Bell had a fractured metatarsal. As Jonathan Trott started shaking hands with the Bangladeshi side, the crowd roared. Ian Bell, who could barely walk without crutches was coming out to bat.
England required 10 runs to win when he came out to the middle. Jonathan Trott smashed one to the boundary before edging one to the wicketkeeper. England lost the game but Ian Bell, with his courage, won hearts. Despite Bangladesh's victory, Ian Bell was the star of the game, the champion of the game.