Pakistan have been dealt a huge blow in their T20 World Cup opener preparations after star bowler Imad Wasim got ruled out of the clash with a side strain. Skipper Babar Azam shed light on the matter and felt for Wasim who recently announced his return to international cricket. Babar also stated that Wasim could be available for upcoming fixtures including the high-voltage clash against India on Sunday. Pakistan will play against the co-host of the T20 World Cup on Thursday (June 6) before clashing with India.
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Wasim out of USA clash
“Imad Wasim is experiencing a side strain. It unfortunately means that he won’t be available for our opening match. While Imad will miss the first game, we are hopeful that he will join the team in the remaining fixtures,” Babar Azam said.
While nothing is serious according to reports, Wasim will be rested for the clash in Dallas and has avoided training in the build-up to the USA clash. He along with Mohammad Amir were named in the 15-man Pakistan squad for the T20 World Cup after a series of good performances. In Wasim’s absence, Shaheen Shah Afridi will have to take added responsibility as the frontline bowler in the team.
Considering his all-round ability his miss will come as a huge blow for Pakistan who are seeking to win their first T20 World Cup title in 15 years. They were runners-up in the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup and the losing semifinalists in the 2021 edition in the UAE and Oman.
Squads:
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
United States: Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Nethralvakar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir. Reserve Players: Gajanand Singh, Juanoy Drysdale, Yasir Mohammad.
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