Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah likely to miss entire ODI World Cup due to shoulder injury

Colombo [Sri Lanka]: Pakistan’s star pacer Naseem Shah is likely to miss the entire ICC ODI World Cup 2023 after scans showed that an injury to his right shoulder is worse than was originally suspected, as ESPcricinfo reported.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not detailed how severe Naseem’s injury is. The bowler has undergone scans in Dubai for a muscle injury below his right shoulder that he sustained while bowling against India on Monday. He was off the field during the middle of his over and later ruled out of the competition.

Rauf also did not bowl after five overs due to his side strain and Pakistan rested him against SL as a precautionary measure ahead of the World Cup.

In the past 18 months, his workload has increased a lot. He has gone from a red-ball player to an all-format bowler. His potency as an ODI bowler is high, having taken 32 wickets in just 14 games at an average of under 17.

The 20-year-old pacer Naseem has had many injury issues in the early stages of his career. A back injury at 17, just one year into international cricket, kept him out for 14 months. Six weeks after his return, another shoulder injury in the County Championship sidelined him for a month.

Haris Rauf, another star pacer’s recovery for the start of the World Cup. Rauf is dealing with a side strain. The pacer also did not bowl after five overs due to his side strain and Pakistan rested him against SL as a precautionary measure ahead of the World Cup.