Huge Blow For Pakistan Ahead Of Asia Cup 2023, Naseem Shah Sustains Shoulder Injury In LPL

Huge Blow For PAK Before Asia Cup As Star Pacer Sustains Shoulder Injury

YOUNG Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah suffered a shoulder injury that even forced him to miss the crucial LPL 2023 match between Colombo Striker and Galle Titans. However, the extent of his injury is still unknown.

If the injury turns out to be serious, it can be a massive blow to the Babar Azam-led Pakistan team ahead of upcoming major tournaments like Asia Cup and ODI World Cup 2023.

The 20-years-old has been a part of seven games for the Colombo Strikers in the ongoing edition of Lanka Premier League and has grabbed 10 wickets at an impressive average of 19.40, an economy of 7.32, and a strike rate of 15.90.

Saeed Ajmal Names Potential Replacement For Naseem Shah

Saeed Ajmal named Imad Wasim as a good replacement for Naseem Shah. However, Ajmal gave this statement prior to any news about Naseem's shoulder injury.

"Pakistan often struggles with the new ball except for Shaheen (Shah Afridi) and Naseem, or when Naseem doesn’t play; we have often seen they find it hard to tackle with the new ball. In that case, if Imad is in the team, he can bowl three to four overs and can act as a substantial option for us," Ajmal told Cricket Pakistan.

"Later on, Haris Rauf, (Mohammad) Wasim Jnr and Shaheen can join him with the old ball. In this way, Imad can play a supporting role in the middle, which is extremely important for any team," he added.

Pakistan Squad for Afghanistan ODI Series and 2023 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel (Afghanistan series only), Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr