Pakistan vs England: Naseem Shah ruled out of Karachi Test
Pakistan seamer Naseem Shah has been ruled out of the third Test against England scheduled in Karachi, starting December 17. He is yet to recover from his shoulder niggle that forced him to miss the 2nd Test in Multan. Naseem showed signs of discomfort during the opening Test. However, he finished with five wickets, including three in the first innings. Here are further details.
Why does this story matter?
Naseem was in pain during the Rawalpindi Test, especially while throwing the ball in from the outfield. However, he claimed five wickets in the match. His tally included 3/140 in the first innings. His injury comes as a set for Pakistan's bowling attack which is already devoid of Shaheen Afridi (knee injury) and Haris Rauf (right quad injury).
Naseem suffered this injury during his Gloucestershire stint
As per ESPNcricinfo, Naseem's shoulder issue first surfaced during his stint with Gloucestershire in the County Championship in April. He bowled just 11 overs on his debut before returning. Left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir replaced Naseem eventually. In September, Naseem contracted COVID-19 a day after he was admitted to the hospital for contracting pneumonia. He was ruled out of the England T20I series.
What about Naseem's replacement?
Pakistan have not named any replacement for Naseem as of now. There were speculations that Hasan Ali will be recalled in Multan, but Pakistan retained their faith in all-rounders. Mohammad Ali was the only specialist pacer in their XI in Multan. Faheem Ashraf shared the new ball with him. Mohammad Nawaz and debutant Abrar Ahmed featured in the spin segment.
Naseem will begin his rehabilitation
According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Naseem will now travel to the High Performance Centre in Lahore to undergo a further assessment. His rehabilitation will begin thereafter. Notably, both England and Pakistan squads leave for Karachi on Wednesday.
England won in Multan
England beat Pakistan by 26 runs to register a clinical win in the second Test. Middle-order batter Saud Shakeel (94) stood out in the 355-run chase but it wasn't enough. Mark Wood got crucial scalps of Shakeel and Mohammad Nawaz (45) to put England in a winning position. England, who registered their maiden Test win in Multan, lead the three-match series 2-0.
