Yasir Shah unlikely to play first Test: Misbah
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Yasir Shah may become the latest casualty in Pakistan's horrid build-up to the first England Test after the legspinner suffered a back injury during training on the eve of the Abu Dhabi match.
Yasir, who was widely tipped to play a match-winning role in the three-match Test series against Alastair Cook's side, suffered a back injury in the nets and may join top-order batsman Azhar Ali on the sidelines who failed to recover from a toe infection.
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq termed Yasir a doubtful starter for the first game.
“We will wait on a final decision on Yasir on the morning of the first Test but judging by his current condition, his participation is highly unlikely,” Misbah told reporters during a pre-match press conference.
Pakistan were pinning their hopes on relative Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar to cause England's batsmen problems in the absence of spin duo of Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman who were England's tormentors in the 2012 whitewash, taking 43 wickets for an average of 15.6 runs.
Spin bowling great Abdul Qadir tipped Yasir to match Ajmal's exploits and termed him the 'difference' between the two sides.
“Pakistan have a clear edge over England simply because of their quality spin attack. If Yasir continues to perform the way he has been in the last few series, England will be in real trouble. Traditionally, England have not been too competent against quality legspin,” Qadir told Dawn.
Pakistan take on England in a three-Test series, the first of which starts on October 13.
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Comments (32) Closed
Oct 12, 2015 03:01pm
Call back Saeed Ajmal as a backup. We need 2 specialist spinners atleast.
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Oct 12, 2015 03:01pm
Without Yasir and Azhar, Pakistan will lose the first test. What kind of practice are they going to get injured like this?
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Oct 12, 2015 03:01pm
That is a real blow for Pakistan. First Azhar and now our ace bowler.
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Oct 12, 2015 03:05pm
This is so unfortunate.i hope he recovers soon.
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Oct 12, 2015 03:23pm
This is where the character of the team will come through. A team relying on an individual to win instead of the team to rally though will be defeated even when that individual is playing.
Let us replace him with a suitable spinner and get on with the game.
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Oct 12, 2015 03:31pm
What is the physio doing. This is the second time in recent months that our main players get injured right before an important series.
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Oct 12, 2015 03:40pm
A big blow for Pak, but as they have shown in the past, some other player will come and take his place. No need to worry too much.
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Oct 12, 2015 03:42pm
Mohd Akram has been known to grill the players hard during training/practice. I cannot recall the name of the player but during a tournament last year also, we had a key player injured because of hard practice drills.
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Oct 12, 2015 03:49pm
From an Aussie fan, I'm absolutely gutted to hear this. He is a very promising spinner and it would have been great to see him against England. Hope Pakistan manage to find someone to replace him
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Oct 12, 2015 04:48pm
Looks like the series is fix only then players get sick who don't want to be part of the deal.
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Oct 12, 2015 04:59pm
I think they were ill prepared as far as spin department was concerned. They should have in all the matches 3 spinners playing to attack England batting line up and keep them under pressure.
One out of two spinners injured now,the chances drop suddenly to lows.
Why AbdulRehman was not taken for the tour instead of Rahat Ali. We are already saturated with left arm pacers Junaid and Wahab. They still are not calling AbdurRehman and that's absurd
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Oct 12, 2015 05:16pm
It seems they start practicing soon before big matches or tournaments and gets injured. Remember the number of injuries before WC2015.
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Oct 12, 2015 05:46pm
Play Abdul Rehman and Zulfiqar Babar in first test match.
I hope Pakistan batsmen also practicing spin bowling as England also has good spin bowlers...
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Oct 12, 2015 05:46pm
Pakistan needs a leg spinner. Baber is a left hand spinner same as Andul Rehman. So there is no question of recalling Rehman. There is only one leg spinner which can compensate Yasir to some extent and his name is SHAHZAIB AHMAD of Karachi. He has some good numbers and has played two U19 worldcups.
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Oct 12, 2015 05:48pm
What do you expect from PCB, they will try everything to defame Pakistan.
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Oct 12, 2015 05:50pm
An "sort of " equal squad is emerging in both Camps , Pakistan ad doubts over Azhar Ali and Yasser Shah , While England has Steven Finns Ruled out and even perhaps Anderson may not feature in the 1st Test , so a balancing act of events , has so far given both the Captains to rely upon his reminder members to stand up and liver
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Oct 12, 2015 06:09pm
Do these fellows not maintain fitness between matches? A spin bowler sustaining a back injury bowling in the nets is quite unusual.
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Oct 12, 2015 07:00pm
We need to come out of player specific phobia.
Have trust that still we have lot better bowlers and batsman to replace every injury
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Oct 12, 2015 08:23pm
We should replace him with a wrist spinner if he can't play firs two tests. Someone mentioned a lad from Karachi, get him or that kid from Sialkot named Osama Meer but he is still not tested enough in domestic cricket so will be a big big risk. I got a feeling pacers will do god on these pitches with reverse swing coming into play. Rahat from Pakistan and Wood from England will be key in first mach. Huge responsibility on Zulifaqar and Malik now.
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Oct 12, 2015 08:28pm
@Shahid Yes, Young guns with no fear to lose and hunger to prove are always HEALTHY for a team. Bring on Shahzaib the legy..
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Oct 12, 2015 09:11pm
Bring on Imaad Wasim!
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Oct 12, 2015 09:24pm
@Sab Se Pehle unfortaunately he has been ineffective after remodelling his action
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Oct 12, 2015 09:25pm
@Haroon Rashid Khan a phiso TREATS inhuries. he can contribute only a little to preventing them, specially the unfortaunate unexpexcted kind
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Oct 12, 2015 10:25pm
Oh no
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Oct 12, 2015 10:25pm
Where were coach, physio ...... looks like other players helped him to get up and walked to the dressing room. I still feel he will be playing.
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Oct 12, 2015 11:28pm
Pakistan needs to worry more about their batting than bowling. Their batting looks seriously thin.
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Oct 13, 2015 12:25am
A spinner with back injury? What was he trying to do? Bowl like Waqar ! Deepheat , hot cold therapy, no AC. Will b ready by tomorrow, guaranteed! Buck up Yasir. Kuch nahi Hota
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Oct 13, 2015 12:27am
(1) Strangely Pakistan has not announced any replacement even when Yasir got injured 48 hours before the match. (2) Imad Wasim, Abdur Rehman or any other left arm spinner can not be included as Zulfi Baber is a left armer too (3) Why have Pakistan announced a squad for all 3 matches. It is our domestic series where we should announce our team on match basis. (4) We should not ask Younis Khan to bat at no. 3, he should be kept at his usual 4.
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Oct 13, 2015 01:21am
Bad luck.
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Oct 13, 2015 01:44am
its funny that PCB was begging ICC to allow Amir to resume his international career earlier and now that he can legally play, they want him to take a rehabilitation course for next 6 months. They are going to lose miserably and then fly him to UAE for last 2 tests.
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Oct 13, 2015 05:59am
Expected too much from poor guy and made him tense enough under pressure to become unfit. instead of making them relax they are required to do more legwork day before the match
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Oct 13, 2015 06:54am
@J.johnston - Well said. Totally agreed.
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