The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced its 15-member team for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, confirming that an injured Naseem Shah will be on a lengthy layoff.
The tournament is set to begin in India on October 5, with Pakistan’s first match being on the next day against the Netherlands.
Shah, 20, who has been a key player in Pakistan’s performance recently, is set to undergo surgery for a shoulder injury and has been replaced by Hasan Ali.
The blow to Shah’s shoulder ruled him out of the Asia Cup during Pakistan’s match with India on September 10 and is likely to push him to the sidelines for a few months.
“Unfortunately, the report we have from our doctors, we hear Naseem will be out for a longer time than just the World Cup,” Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s chief selector, told ESPNcricinfo website.
Shah also shared his disappointment about not being able to join the tournament through X, formerly Twitter. “With a heavy heart, I’m sharing that I will not be part of this amazing team that will be representing our beloved country,” he wrote.
Source : Aljazeera
