Massive Blow for Pakistan Ahead of World Cup

Massive Blow for Pakistan Ahead of World Cup, and Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah has reportedly suffered a shoulder injury in the ongoing Lanka Premier League ahead of the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup 2023. In a major setback for the Pakistan team, promising fast bowler Naseem Shah sustained a shoulder injury during the Lanka Premier League. 

Although the extent of the injury is yet to be determined, Naseem Shah’s absence can pose a significant threat to Pakistan’s plans. Being the premier pacer of the national team, Naseem Shah holds immense significance for Pakistan in the face of the upcoming Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup 2023.

While fans hope for a rapid recovery for the young bowler, Pakistan’s pace attack will be fearing the flimsiness that Naseem Shah’s absence may cause in the upcoming tournaments. In Pakistan’s worst nightmare, history may repeat itself, bringing back the form of uncertainty that had been caused by Shaheen Shah’s knee injury in the previous Asia Cup and T20 World Cup 2022.

The sources from PCB indicate that the player’s injury could be challenging for Pakistan National Cricket Team before the tournament. Pakistan has a continuous pattern of losing key players due to injuries and controversial events during World Cup preparations. This has been happening throughout the year, which reminds the ban on Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif during the 2007 World Cup and Mohammad Amir‘s ban on spot-fixing in the 2011 World Cup. Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez were banned from bowling for their illegal bowling actions, which affected the team’s bowling strength in the 2015 World Cup.

This time, Naseem is injured before the big tournament, and his fitness is not yet to be known. Naseem Shah is part of the team’s Pace Bowlers trio, which includes Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. He is currently playing in the Lanka Premier League 2023 for Colombo Strikers in Sri Lanka. Naseem Shah had played seven matches for the franchise and secured ten wickets at an average of 19.40, an economy rate of 7.32, and a striking rate of 15.90.

Pakistan is preparing well for the big tournaments with world-class batters like Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, and Imam ul Haq who are ranked among the top five ODI batters. With the pace bowler’s trio, Pakistan was preparing for the complete team, but the injury news doubts Pakistan entering the tournament with a full-strength Squad. Pakistan will play a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan before the Asia Cup, which will serve as warmup matches for the big tournament. After the Asia Cup, Team Pakistan will travel to India for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Will Naseem Shah play in Asia Cup and World Cup?

However, the pacer has shunned the report himself. A few Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sources also confirmed that Naseem was sitting out just as a precautionary measure. Several senior journalists have also refuted the report and confirmed that Naseem Shah is fit and fine for the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup.