Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah to miss entire ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – Reports

Naseem Shah suffered a shoulder injury in Asia Cup 2023 Super Four clash against India.

According to the reports, Pakistan's fast bowler, Naseem Shah, may not be able to participate in the entire World Cup due to a more severe shoulder injury than originally thought. The PCB is considering getting a second opinion, but initial scans conducted in Dubai suggest that he might be sidelined for the rest of the year.

If the additional test results confirm the initial findings, Naseem Shah, who is just 20 years old, might be looking at a lengthy recovery period that could last for several months. This could raise questions about his availability for the Test series in Australia at the beginning of the year and potentially put his participation in the upcoming Pakistan Super League in doubt.

During Pakistan's second game against India at the Asia Cup 2023 last week, Naseem left the field in the middle of the 46th over on the reserve day scheduled for that match. Following this incident, he was declared unfit for the remainder of the tournament. The injury he suffered was to a muscle located just below his bowling shoulder, and it's important to note that this injury is not a recurrence of any previous shoulder issues he may have had.

Naseem Shah's absence from the World Cup and the subsequent series in Australia will be a significant setback for Pakistan. In the past year, Naseem has evolved from being primarily a red-ball specialist to becoming a bowler who excels in all formats of the game for Pakistan. Currently, he is considered the best among Pakistan's highly regarded trio of fast bowlers, which includes Naseem, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf.

The PCB is expected to make an official decision once they receive the results of his follow-up scans in a few days. In the Asia Cup, Naseem was replaced by Zaman Khan, and it's worth noting that Mohammad Hasnain, another potential replacement, is currently dealing with an injury as well.