LAHORE: Though the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) says best possible care is being provided to Naseem Shah who suffered a shoulder injury during the Asia Cup, it is learnt that the injury is serious which may rule the young pace sensation out of the ICC World Cup in India.

The PCB in a media release on Saturday said that the 20-year-old fast bowler was being monitored by the medical staff.

“The PCB medical team has been monitoring the status of Naseem Shah’s shoulder injury sustained during the Asia Cup 2023. Medical consultations with the experts are underway to provide the best possible care to Naseem. The PCB medical panel will decide on the fast bowler’s return to cricket based on further assessments,” read the PCB press release.

Due to the shoulder injury suffered during the Asia Cup Super Four match against India in Colombo, right-armer Naseem could not feature in Pakistan’s last Super Four game against Sri Lanka, also in Colombo.

According to sources, Naseem’s injury is of serious nature which can rule him out of the entire World Cup being staged in India from Oct 5 to Nov 19.

Pakistan’s performance in the six-nation Asia Cup remained below par as Babar Azam and company finished fourth in the Super Four stage, behind third-placed Bangladesh. In the Super Four stage, the green-shirts lost to India and Sri Lanka and could only manage to defeat Bangladesh.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2023