How a reserve day proved to be too costly for Pakistan

In a devastating blow to Pakistan’s cricketing aspirations, fast bowler Naseem Shah is set to miss the entire ODI World Cup due to a severe shoulder injury. The injury, worse than initially suspected, has cast a shadow over his cricketing future for the rest of the year and even raised doubts about his participation in the upcoming Test series in Australia and the 2024 Pakistan Super League.

Naseem Shah’s misfortune struck during Pakistan’s second game against India at the Asia Cup. Ironically, it happened on the reserve day, which had been organized specifically for the high-stakes clash against their arch-rivals. The injury occurred in the middle of the 46th over, leading to Naseem’s subsequent withdrawal from the tournament.

This setback comes at a time when Naseem Shah had emerged as a key player for Pakistan, transitioning from being a red-ball specialist to an effective bowler across all formats. His recent form had solidified his status as the best among Pakistan’s trio of pace bowlers, alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.

Other Injuries

Haris Rauf, a Pakistani fast bowler, recently faced an injury scare during a match against India in the Asia Cup 2023. Although he sustained an injury, he remains part of Pakistan’s squad for the tournament. The injury to Haris Rauf, along with Naseem Shah’s injury, has raised concerns for Pakistan’s bowling lineup ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Despite the injury setback, Rauf’s pace and skill make him a valuable asset for the team, and Pakistan will be hoping for his quick recovery to bolster their chances in both the ongoing Asia Cup and the upcoming World Cup.

Pakistan batter Agha Salman suffered a facial injury during the Asia Cup 2023 Super Four match against India. Salman attempted a paddle-sweep off left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja without wearing a helmet, and the delivery resulted in a top-edge that hit his face. The impact caused a cut below his right eye, and blood started to drip. Play was temporarily halted, and Salman received medical attention, including a concussion test. After the assessment, he resumed batting, this time wearing a helmet. However, his innings was short-lived as he was dismissed leg-before after attempting another sweep shot against Kuldeep Yadav. 

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