BANGLADESH captain Mushfiqur Rahim has been taken to hospital after suffering a painful blow to the head.
Rahim, 29, batted for a further 40 minutes after being struck by a ferocious bouncer from South Africa‘s Duanne Olivier at Bloemfontein.
The batsman looked shaken after ducking into the short-ball, walking off the strip to crouch down.
Rahim was treated by Bangladesh‘s physiotherapist and South Africa’s team manager as they have no doctor on their staff.
The hosts’ manager Mohammed Moosajee – a medical doctor – recommended Rahim leave the field of play.
Despite the advice, Rahim batted on for the best part of an hour in a new helmet – facing a further TEN short balls from Olivier.
Rahim was visibly not himself as he poked, prodded and even edged to slips twice – with both nicks falling short of the fielders.
Eventually, the Tigers’ skipper was trapped in front of his stumps LBW off the bowling of Wayne Parnell for 26.
Rahim promptly raced off to hospital for an examination.
The batsman is no stranger to a scary-looking hit to the head, having suffered a similar blow against New Zealand in Wellington in January.
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In the game, South Africa racked up a monumental first-innings total of 573-4 declared, with Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla and Faf Du Plessis all notching centuries.
In reply, Bangladesh could only muster 147 and now sit on 139-6 in their second innings – facing a crushing innings defeat within three days.
South Africa are now set to clinch the Test series 2-0.
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