Melbourne October 21 2022: Pakistan’s preparations for the big clash against India at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Sunday have taken a hit with news that experienced batter Shan Masood has been taken to hospital following a blow at training.
Masood was struck on the right hand side of his head during a practice session at the MCG on Friday and officials took no risk with the 33-year-old as they took him straight to hospital for observation.
The incident means Masood’s place in Pakistan’s XI for their T20 World Cup opener against India on Sunday is in doubt, pending tests, with fellow leftie Fakhar Zaman in contention to replace him.
The latest update overnight from the PCB team in Australia is that Masood’s neurological observations are normal. The CT scan revealed a superficial bruising in the area where he struck, but he is currently asymptomatic. The batter will undergo a concussion re-test tomorrow.
Masood was likely to come in after star duo Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan and bat at No.3 for Pakistan during the T20 World Cup given he appeared in this position for much of the recent tri-series in New Zealand.
The left-hander only managed 64 runs from four hits during the matches against Bangladesh and the Kiwis, but has been the preferred choice for that crucial top-order spot for Pakistan in recent times.
