Young pacer Naseem Shah is likely to miss the entire ODI World Cup 2023 in India as suggested by the initial inspection of his shoulder injury.
Pakistan’s campaign for the upcoming OD World Cup has been surrounded by uncertainty as a grave shoulder injury threatens to sideline Naseem Shah for the entire tournament.
According to the reports, scans conducted in Dubai have uncovered the extent of the injury, which is worse than initially feared. The current condition suggests that Naseem’s availability is unlikely not only for the World Cup but also for the upcoming Australia tour.
The 20-year-old speedster had sustained a shoulder injury in the field during Pakistan’s recent clash with India in the Asia Cup. Subsequent examinations have confirmed a muscle injury near his bowling shoulder.
It has been declared unrelated to any previous issues although Naseem had faced uneasiness in his shoulder earlier during the Lanka Premier League. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is now awaiting a second opinion and will make an official decision once the results of further scans become available in the coming days.
This unfortunate turn of events is a significant setback for Pakistan. Naseem Shah has become an integral part of the bowling attack in the recent times, joining forces with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf. The haunting history seems to repeat itself for Pakistan as they had lost their last World Cup final due to Shaheen Afridi’s knee injury.
