*KARACHI: Pakistan squad faces a big setback ahead of the England tour asace spinner *Yasir Shah who took 16 wickets in Pakistan’s last two-matchTest series against Sri Lanka last year, will be missed in English andIrish conditions.

“Yasir did really well in Pakistan’s last series and will be missed in theconditions of England and Ireland. “The players there don’t have muchexperience playing wrist spinners and often struggle against them.”

Former Chief Selector Salaiddin Sallu discussed the reason why the UKdoesn’t produce many wrist spinners. “The conditions there make the ballwet, which causes it to slip from a spinner’s hand. That’s why there aremostly finger spinners in those countries as it is easy to maintain yourline and length as a finger spinner as compared to as a wrist spinner.”

Yasir, ranked 16th in the world, has been Pakistan’s go-to wicket-takingoption in Tests ever since his debut in 2014. However, Sallu has backed theyoung Shadab to fill his considerable boots. “They aren’t used to facingwrist spinners so Yasir would have been a key bowler but Shadab is also agood bowler and he can fill the gap,” he said.

“This is a major setback for Pakistan but Shadab has done well in recentlimited-over series and he can be an effective bowler,” he said. “He needsto be utilised properly and I am sure that skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, who hasbeen leading the team really well, will use him in the perfect manner totrouble the opposition batsmen.”