Injured Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is afraid his finger might never fully recover from an infection following his botched appearance in the recently concluded Asia Cup in the UAE.

Shakib is set for a second surgery in Australia this month after aggravating his finger injury. He underwent an emergency operation on September 27 in Dhaka after it became affected following a bacterial infection while playing in the UAE.

The talismanic all-rounder failed to play in the final as India defeated the Tigers off the last ball of the tournament. Doctors cleared a large amount of pus from his finger and asked him to go for a second surgery once the infection cleared.

“The main point is how I can cure the infection because my finger will never get back to 100 per cent normal,” Shakib was quoted as saying by AFP in Dhaka as he left for Australia.

“There is no chance of soft bone getting repaired again, it will not be completely okay, but with surgery they will put the hand into a shape from where I will be able hold the bat and continue playing cricket,” he said.

Shakib does not know when the second surgery will take place as his infection has yet to subside.

“The infection is my biggest tension. Unless it comes down to zero per cent, no surgeon will put a hand on it. If they do it, it will go into the bone, and if it goes into the bone, the entire hand will be spoilt,” he said.

The 31-year-old injured the little finger on his left hand in January and was sidelined for two months before he returned in March.

He wanted to undergo surgery before the Asia Cup but the Bangladesh board asked him to play the tournament and then go under the knife.

The latest setback has ruled Shakib out of home series against Zimbabwe and the West Indies in October-December. Shakib said he hopes to make a comeback in the Bangladesh Premier League T20 tournament in January.