Babar Azam Raises Concerns Over Naseem Shah’s World Cup Availability

Pakistan’s hopes for the upcoming World Cup in India face uncertainty as Babar Azam, the team’s captain, expressed doubts about fast bowler Naseem Shah’s readiness for the tournament. Naseem Shah is currently recovering from a right shoulder injury, and while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not provided a clear timeline for his return, Babar Azam’s recent comments have raised concerns.

Babar Azam’s Uncertainty

During a recent press interaction following Pakistan’s elimination from the Asia Cup at the hands of Sri Lanka, Babar Azam remained cautious about Naseem Shah‘s availability. When asked about Pakistan’s contingency plans if Naseem and fellow fast bowler Haris Rauf were unable to participate in the World Cup, Babar chose not to reveal their backup strategies.

“I’ll tell you later,” Babar responded. “Not telling you our Plan B now. But yes, Haris Rauf is not bad. He’s just got a little bit of a side strain, but he’s recovering before the World Cup. Naseem Shah also… they have a couple of miss matches, I don’t know [how long] the recovery [is], but in my opinion, Naseem Shah also [will be] in the World Cup later on. But let’s see.”

Naseem Shah’s Injury

The PCB has not yet provided detailed information about the severity of Naseem Shah’s shoulder injury. Currently in Dubai, he is undergoing scans to assess the muscle injury below his right shoulder. The injury occurred while he was bowling during a match against India in the Asia Cup. He left the field mid-over and was subsequently ruled out of the tournament.

Naseem Shah, at just 20 years old, has faced injury challenges early in his cricket career. A back injury sidelined him for 14 months one year into his international career when he was only 17 years old. Shortly after his return, he suffered a shoulder injury during his debut in the County Championship with Gloucestershire, which kept him out of action for a month.

Despite these setbacks, Naseem Shah has become a vital bowler for Pakistan in all formats. He has been particularly impressive in ODIs, with 32 wickets in 14 matches at an average of under 17.

Pakistan’s Bowling Dilemma

In the absence of Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, Pakistan played Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Zaman Khan in their crucial game against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. Unfortunately, these replacements struggled to make an impact, and Sri Lanka narrowly won the match.

As Pakistan’s World Cup campaign draws near, the team management faces the challenge of managing their fast bowling resources effectively, hoping for a swift recovery for Naseem Shah while keeping contingency plans in place.

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