Babar Azam: Naseem Shah may miss Pakistan’s opening World Cup matches

• Babar Azam has said that Naseem Shah may not be available for opening World Cup matches.
• Naseem is currently undergoing scans for a muscle injury below his right shoulder.
• Naseem has had a history of injuries.

Babar Azam has indicated that Naseem Shah may not recover in time to participate in Pakistan’s initial matches at the upcoming World Cup in India.

Although the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not publicly disclosed a specific timeline for Naseem’s return from a right shoulder injury, Babar seemed uncertain about whether Naseem would be ready to play from the beginning of the tournament next month.

On the other hand, there is more optimism regarding Haris Rauf, who is dealing with a side issue. Pakistan did not officially rule him out of the Asia Cup, nor did they formally introduce his replacement, Shahnawaz Dahani, into the squad.

Babar expressed confidence about Rauf’s chances of being fit for the start of the World Cup, but he appeared less certain about Naseem’s availability for the entire tournament.

When asked about Pakistan’s contingency plans in case Naseem and Rauf are unable to participate, Babar did not reveal specific backup strategies. However, he did discuss the prospects for both players.

“I’ll tell you later,” he said. “Not telling you our Plan B now. But yes, Haris Rauf is not bad. He’s just got a little bit of a side strain, but he’s recovering before the World Cup. Naseem Shah also… they have a couple of miss matches, I don’t know [how long] the recovery [is], but in my opinion, Naseem Shah also [will be] in the World Cup later on. But let’s see.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not provided specific details about the severity of Naseem Shah’s injury. Currently, he is in Dubai undergoing scans for a muscle injury below his right shoulder, which he seemingly sustained while bowling in the closing stages of the match against India on Monday.

Naseem had to leave the field during that over, and he was subsequently ruled out of the tournament. Haris Rauf also did not bowl on that day due to a side issue, and Pakistan decided to rest him as a precaution, given the upcoming World Cup.

Naseem, who is only 20 years old, has faced injury challenges early in his cricket career. A back injury he suffered one year into his international career, at the age of 17, kept him away from the sport for 14 months. Just six weeks after his return, he was sidelined for a month due to a shoulder injury he sustained while making his debut in the County Championship with Gloucestershire.

Over the past 18 months, Naseem’s workload has significantly increased. Initially known primarily as a red-ball player, he has become a vital bowler for Pakistan in all three formats. Since making his ODI debut, he has been Pakistan’s most effective bowler, taking 32 wickets in 14 matches at an average of under 17.

In the absence of Naseem and Rauf, Pakistan fielded Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Zaman Khan in their crucial game against Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, they struggled to take wickets, and their combined nine overs conceded 64 runs as Sri Lanka narrowly won the match.

Pakistan’s squad is scheduled to return home from Sri Lanka via Dubai on Friday.

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