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Pakistan speedster Naseem Shah ruled out of Asia Cup 2023; replaced by Zaman Khan

Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah will take no further part in the Asia Cup 2023 as he has sustained a shoulder injury that led to him leaving the field during the India vs Pakistan Super Fours encounter in Colombo.

The PCB has said that Naseem has a shoulder injury, which will be monitored by their medical team with one eye on getting the pacer fully fit for the World Cup to be played in India next month.

Zaman Khan was already called in as a cover by Pakistan and will now join the 17-member squad as Naseem Shah's replacement. He has played six T20Is for Pakistan but is yet to make his ODI debut.


While Naseem Shah is ruled out, no update on Haris Rauf yet

Haris Rauf was another Pakistan speedster who suffered from an injury during the game between the arch-rivals. Rauf had complained of pain in his right flank and neither bowled nor batted on the reserve day when India won by a staggering margin of 228 runs. Pakistan do have the option of replacing Rauf as well with Shahnawaz Dahani, but are yet to make anything official.

India's win over Sri Lanka on Tuesday has propelled the Men in Blue to the Asia Cup final, making the encounter between Pakistan and the Lankans on Thursday as a virtual knockout.

Sri Lanka have shown that they are tough to beat at home, especially if the conditions suit their spinners like they did against India. Pakistan will need to play really well as they will be without the services of Naseem Shah and potentially Rauf as well.


Pakistan's updated Asia Cup 2023 squad : Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Zaman Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir (travelling reserve).

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