Fast bowler Naseem Shah of Pakistan is facing the possibility of missing the entire World Cup due to a shoulder injury. Initial scans conducted in Dubai have revealed that the injury may be worse than initially thought, potentially ruling him out for the remainder of the year and even the upcoming tour in Australia. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is seeking a second opinion, but if the secondary scans confirm the initial findings, Naseem could be facing a long layoff. His participation in the Test series in Australia and the next Pakistan Super League could also be in doubt.
Naseem sustained the injury during Pakistan’s second game against India at the Asia Cup last week. He left the field in the 46th over and was subsequently ruled out of the tournament. The injury is reported to be a muscle injury below his bowling shoulder, not related to any previous shoulder injuries he may have had.
Naseem’s absence from the World Cup and the Australia series will be a significant blow for Pakistan. Over the past year, he has become a versatile bowler across different formats, earning praise alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf. The PCB is expected to make an official decision once they receive the results from his secondary scans in the upcoming days. In the meantime, Zaman Khan has replaced Naseem at the Asia Cup, and Mohammad Hasnain, another potential replacement, is also currently sidelined due to injury.
