Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has been ruled out of the Asian Games cricket competition with fever and is returning home, reports said on Tuesday.

Shanto fell ill during the tournament and team medical staff decided he should not continue. The Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed he will head back for further treatment and rest.

Cricbuzz and ESPNcricinfo reported the development as a blow to Bangladesh’s campaign, with Shanto a key batter and the side’s leader. A replacement or stand-in captaincy plan was expected to be announced.

The illness comes at a difficult time, with Bangladesh progressing in a rain-hit tournament. Team management said the priority was the player’s health.

Bangladesh’s medical team will monitor his recovery before clearing him for future assignments. The squad must now regroup quickly for the knockout stages without their skipper. Team management said a final call on the leadership group for the knockouts will be taken after assessing the available squad.