Melbourne: Pakistan’s left-handed batter Shan Masood on Friday had to be taken to hospital for scans after being hit on the head during a practice session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ahead of their Super 12 opener in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against India on Sunday.
A report by Cricbuzz says that Masood, 33, was struck on the side of his head while waiting for his turn to bat in Pakistan’s practice session. “Masood collapsed to the ground in pain upon being struck and was tended to by the team doctor. Thankfully, he could walk off the nets area and was subsequently taken to the hospital for further investigation of the injury,” said the report.
Later in the day, as per the report, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stated that all of Masood’s neurological observations are normal and that his CT scan only shows superficial bruising where the ball struck him, with a re-test for a concussion to be held on Saturday.
Due to the nature of the injury being related to the head, Masood now faces an anxious wait to see if he will be considered for selection in Pakistan’s opening match of the tournament against arch-rivals India.
Masood, who had played 25 Tests and five ODIs for Pakistan, was recently called up to the squad for the T20 World Cup. He made his T20I debut during Pakistan’s seven-match home series against England and has played in all 12 matches the side has played in the run-up to the T20 World Cup.
Batting at number three in 12 T20Is, Masood has made 220 runs at an average of 24.44 and strike-rate of 125, including two fifties. If he is unavailable for Sunday’s match, Pakistan could bring in a like-for-like option in Fakhar Zaman, who was recently drafted back into Pakistan’s 15-man squad, replacing injured leg-spinner Usman Qadir.
Zaman himself is returning after recovering from a knee injury and even underwent a fitness test in Brisbane during Pakistan’s washed-out warm-up match against Afghanistan in Brisbane on Wednesday.
(IANS)
