Due to a severe shoulder injury, Pakistan’s fast bowler Naseem Shah may beforced to sit out the entire ICC World Cup 2023, scheduled to commence inIndia next month. The extent of the damage to Shah’s right shoulder is moreserious than initially anticipated, as reported by ESPNcricinfo onSaturday.
“Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah is facing the likelihood of missing theentire World Cup, as scans have revealed a more severe injury to his rightshoulder than initially thought. The PCB is considering seeking a secondopinion, but preliminary scans conducted in Dubai suggest that this injurycould sideline him for the remainder of the year,” the report stated.
“If subsequent results confirm the initial findings, the 20-year-oldNaseem might be looking at a prolonged recovery period, casting doubt onhis participation in the Test series in Australia at the beginning of thenext year, as well as his involvement in the upcoming Pakistan SuperLeague,” it further elaborated.
During Pakistan’s second game against India in the Asia Cup last week,Naseem left the field during the 46th over on the reserve day allocated forthe match. Following this, the PCB issued a press release announcing hiswithdrawal from the rest of the tournament.
It’s important to note that this injury is not a recurrence of anyprevious shoulder injuries but rather a new issue affecting a muscle justbelow his bowling shoulder. Zaman Khan, who replaced Shah during the AsiaCup, may be considered for the World Cup if necessary.
Read Top Stories
The final decision regarding Naseem Shah’s participation will likely bemade by the PCB after receiving the results of his secondary scans in thecoming days. The ICC World Cup 2023 is scheduled to be held in India,featuring 10 teams competing for the coveted title at 10 different venuesfrom October 5 to November 19.
The tournament will open and conclude at the Narendra Modi Stadium inAhmedabad. The Cricket World Cup will follow a round-robin format, with allteams playing against each other in 45 league matches. The top four teamswill advance to the semifinals, set to take place in Mumbai on November 15and Kolkata on November 16. Reserve days have been allocated for thesemi-finals and final.
According to the tournament’s regulations, all teams must finalize their15-player squads before September 28, with any replacements after this daterequiring approval from the ICC.
