Pakistan pace bowler Naseem Shah has been ruled out of the side’s preparations for the third Test in Karachi after failing to recover from the shoulder niggle that prompted him to miss this week’s 26-run defeat in Multan.
The 19-year-old was in evident agony during the Rawalpindi Test, notably while throwing the ball in from the outfield. However, he still put forth a remarkable bowling performance, capturing five wickets on an uncooperative surface, including 3 for 140 in England’s first innings.
According to the Pakistan Cricket Bboard, he will now fly to the High Performance Centre in Lahore to undergo further assessment at the facility before beginning rehabilitation. On Wednesday afternoon, both the England and Pakistan squads will depart for Karachi.
At this time, the Pakistan team management has not called up a replacement for the injured pacer. His absence, however, puts additional strain on their fast-bowling contingent, with Shaheen Shah Afridi ruled out after worsening a knee injury in the T20 World Cup last month and Haris Rauf damaging his quad on debut in Rawalpindi.
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Pakistan had reportedly considered recalling Hasan Ali in Multan, but ultimately chose to rely on allrounders, with Mohammad Ali the lone specialist seamer in their XI for the second Test. Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz shared the new ball, while Abrar Ahmed, a debuting mystery spinner, was added to the side.
Pakistan may explore an option to hand a debut to Mohammad Wasim Jr, who shined during the T20 World Cup, depending on the pitch at the National Stadium. He has, however, only played seven first-class games, similar to Rauf, who had only played eight first-class games prior to his debut.
The pitch for the First Test between Pakistan and England in Rawalpindi was rated ‘below average’ by match referee Andy Pycroft. The Zimbabwean said that he felt that the pitch offered absolutely no support for the bowlers. PCB boss Ramiz Raja was also critical of the pitch and said that the cricket infrastructure in Pakistan had a long way to go.
