Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign has hit a potential roadblock with the news that star all-rounder Imad Wasim remains a major doubt for their upcoming clash against arch-rivals India on Sunday. This comes despite the PCB initially downplaying the severity of his injury.
A More Serious Injury Than Initially Stated
Just ten days ago, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) attributed Imad’s absence from the final T20I against England to “precautionary reasons” stemming from a suspected rib injury. However, recent developments suggest the issue is more concerning than initially reported.
Wasim missed Pakistan’s opening encounter against USA, which they narrowly lost in a Super Over thriller, due to the same complaint. While the PCB released footage of him bowling in the nets, sources close to ESPNcricinfo claim a final decision regarding his participation will be made on the day of the match based on a fitness assessment.
Wasim’s Absence Creates Selection Headaches
Imad’s potential unavailability is a significant blow to Pakistan’s hopes of upsetting India. His absence has already exposed vulnerabilities in their bowling attack, particularly in the spin department. In their opening match, Pakistan opted for an out-of-form Azam Khan alongside Shadab Khan as their sole specialist spinners. This decision backfired, with Azam dismissed for a golden duck and Shadab facing criticism from captain Babar Azam for Pakistan’s lack of spin bowling impact.
While this specific rib injury hasn’t troubled Wasim in the past, he has a history of battling various injuries throughout his career. A chronic knee issue has hampered his ability to play longer formats consistently. In fact, he was granted additional time to pass a fitness test for the 2019 World Cup due to this very knee injury. He even briefly retired from international cricket in 2023.
Upon his return to the national team earlier this year, Wasim opted against signing a central contract, emphasizing his focus on this particular World Cup. With Pakistan’s qualification for the knockout stages already hanging by a thread, Wasim’s participation in what could be his international farewell remains shrouded in doubt.
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