LAHORE: Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has recovered from injury and has been declared fit by the country’s cricket board, it said on Thursday.

The leg-spinner had copped an ankle injury while representing Rawalpindi during the National T20 Cup, which was held in November-December last year.

The blow had ruled Shadab out of Pakistan’s on-going five-match Twenty20 International series against New Zealand.

With the appointment of Shaheen as the side’s new T20 captain after former skipper Babar Azam had stepped down from the post following Pakistan’s failure to make it to the 50-over World Cup semi-finals, Shadab had also lost his position as the vice-captain.

The right-handed batter, however, will be one of Pakistan’s key players in the T20 World Cup — which is set to be held in June in the United States and West Indies — given his high reputation in the format.

“It is pleasing to see Shadab Khan has been declared fit after undergoing a robust rehab plan under the medical team here at the National Cricket Academy,” the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) director medical and sports sciences Dr. Sohail Saleem was quoted as saying in a press release.

Shadab is only one of the players in Pakistan’s long injury list, which may be further cut down as leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed and pacer Khurram Shehzad made significant inroads in their respective recovery processes.

Abrar, who picked up a knee injury during Pakistan’s tour match ahead of what turned out to be a 3-0 Test drubbing by Australia recently, has started his rehab along with Khurram, who had suffered from a stress fracture after the first Test — his debut.

“Upon their arrival (from Australia), these two players underwent mandatory testing to understand the nature of their injuries, said Dr. Sohail. “They have now been provided with a plan, which they will work on under the supervision of the medical team.”

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2024