Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has been cleared of serious injury after being struck a sickening blow on the helmet during a Test match against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
In distressing scenes on day five of the first Test, Mushfiqur was hit on the back of the helmet after he ducked into a Tim Southee bouncer and fell to the pitch around 12.10pm (NZ time).
![Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, pictured here celebrating a century with teammate Shakib Al Hasan.](/web/20170117062739im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/s/1/u/q/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gts1sb.png/1484549422151.jpg)
He began to kneel, then collapsed to the ground and was immediately attended by medical staff from both teams. He still appeared to be conscious and advertising hoardings were shifted to allow an ambulance to drive onto the field.
Play was delayed by more than 20 minutes as paramedics attended Mushfiqur, who was put in a neck brace, on a stretcher, and taken to Wellington Hospital.
Play resumed immediately afterwards.
A team spokesman said Mushfiqur was given the all clear after undergoing X-rays on his neck at Wellington Hospital, and was waiting to be discharged by doctors.
ESPN Cricinfo reported that Tamim Iqbal, who was with the Bangladesh captain while he was receiving first aid on the field, said earlier: "He is fine. He spoke to us. He has been taken for precaution".
Mushfiqur, who was already batting with injured fingers on both hands, had been subject to a number of short balls from the New Zealand bowlers. He was struck in the 43rd over of the innings, on 13.
Bangladesh were 5-114 in their second innings, leading New Zealand by 170 runs, when the incident occurred.
-Stuff.co.nz, AAP
Not a sight u ever want to see on a cricket ground pic.twitter.com/juYI0XQHay
— David Leggat (@legslip1) 15 January 2017
Tamim Iqbal has told reporters "He [Mushfiqur] is fine. He spoke to us. He has been taken [to hospital] for precaution." c/o @ESPNcricinfo
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) 15 January 2017
Mushfiqur Rahim being taken to hospital pic.twitter.com/iV37FP6NFJ
— Mohammad Isam (@Isam84) 15 January 2017