"I hardly saw any matches because I just could not bear watching them" - Naseem Shah on missing out on the 2023 ODI World Cup due to injury
Pakistan pace bowler Naseem Shah recently opened up about his frustration over missing the 2023 ODI World Cup due to injury. The right-arm pacer was arguably one of the in-form pacers in the world in the lead-up to the tournament, but unfortunately sustained a serious shoulder injury during the 2023 Asia Cup, which ruled him out of the showpiece event.
Pakistan failed to qualify for the knockout stages for the second time in succession, finishing fifth in the table below New Zealand. In Shah's absence, the Men in Green had a pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, and Haris Rauf, who failed to impress in subcontinent conditions.
Naseem Shah was among the leading wicket-takers in the Asia Cup, before disaster struck. The injury forced him to miss the red-ball tour of Australia as well, where Pakistan suffered yet again in his absence.
"It was very difficult for me to watch the matches on TV, when you know that you belong on the ground with the rest of the team. I hardly saw any matches because I just could not bear watching them. My hand was in a sling after surgery and I used to randomly wake up at night thinking that the injury has healed," Naseem Shah said in an interview with CricWick.
"When you are stuck in a room for a long period, you tend to feel down mentally, and you tend to feel frustrated," he added.
The pacer recently returned from injury to represent Islamabad United in the ongoing 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL). He was part of a high-profile trade deal during the off-season that involved his former franchise, the Quetta Gladiators. He has taken eight wickets in six matches so far.
"It is the dream of every player to represent their nation in the World Cup" - Naseem Shah
Naseem Shah still has age on his side, having made his international debut at the raw age of 16. He has already excelled in the multiple T20 World Cups that he played in for Pakistan in 2021 and 2022, respectively. An ODI World Cup appearance is also bound to come along for him at some point or the other.
"See, it is the dream of every player to represent their nation in the World Cup. Especially the ODI World Cup because it comes once every four years. Ahead of the tournament, I felt like I was at the peak of my prowess, like every player feels at some stage of his career. My performance, my body, and everything else was perfect, and I had worked quite hard as well," Naseem Shah said.
"Unfortunately, you cannot do much when it comes to injuries, it can happen at any time in life. You can fall while catching the ball, and you cannot do much about these things," he added.
Naseem Shah will be one of the bowlers to watch out for in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA in June.