LAHORE: Luckless leg-spinner Shadab Khan left for London late on Tuesday to consult a specialist to cure his virus-related disease, which has prevented him from accompanying the World Cup-bound squad that reached London earlier on Tuesday.

Shadab, 20, was last Thursday selected as a member of the squad for the five-game ODI series against England (to be staged from May 8 to 19) and the May 30-July 14 World Cup.

However, on Sunday, the shocking news about the bowler’s illness surfaced as a result of the blood test reports.

The development has come as a major setback for Pakistan since Shadab is considered as a key bowler of the team. In his place, the selection committee has included another leg-spinner Yasir Shah who possesses a very ordinary ODI record.

For Shadab, the PCB has arranged an appointment with Dr Patrick Kennedy in London on Thursday and Friday.

Though the team management still hopes that Shadab -- having claimed 47 wickets in 34 ODIs at 27.74 -- will be fit before the start of the World Cup, presently it looks difficult as at least five to six weeks are required for the bowler to recover fully.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2019