Pakistan’s star pacer Naseem Shah suffered a shoulder injury during Asia Cup 2023. The 20-year-old underwent scans on his shoulder in Dubai and the results are not too promising. Shah could miss the entire ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in India due to the shoulder injury he picked up against Bangladesh.
Shah had suffered the injury while trying to save a boundary, and even though he returned to complete the game, the issue seems to have aggravated against India. The pacer left the match against India on the reserve day midway and he was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the Asia Cup. According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, Shah could miss the ODI World Cup in India according to the initial scans on his shoulder injury.
According to the same report, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are also planning to take a second opinion, but if the results back the issue highlighted by the initial scans, then Shah could be sidelined for several months.
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The shoulder injury has not only thrown a spanner in Pakistan’s plans for the ODI World Cup, but Shah could miss the Test series against Australia in early 2024 and his participation in next year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) also remains in doubt.
Shah’s injury is worse than expected initially, and the injury has affected a muscle just below his shoulder that is not a recurrence of any past shoulder injuries, added the report.
The 20-year-old has become a key figure in Pakistan’s pace-trident alongside Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi. As seen in the Asia Cup Group A clash against India, the trio on their day are capable of hurting any team.
However, with Rauf also nursing an injury of his own, and Shah not at his full fitness, Pakistan lost the Super 4 clash to India by 228 runs, their worst defeat to the Men in Blue in ODIs.
The report further adds that the PCB are expected to make a final call on Shah once they receive reports of a second scan. Zaman Khan replaced Shah in Pakistan’s Asia Cup squad.
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In his short career so far, Naseem has already battled multiple injuries. When he had only just begun his international career at the age of 17, a back injury sidelined him for 14 months. Then, shortly after his return, Shah’s County Championship debut with Gloucestershire was marred by a separate shoulder injury two months after he recovered from the back issue.
Since then, the youngster’s workload has only increased, starting out as a red-ball cricket specialist, he is now a regular in all formats and his absence could dent Pakistan’s chances of lifting their second ICC ODI World Cup crown.
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