LAHORE: Pakistan’s bowling lineup for the Australia series is increasingly depleted as Noman Ali joins the list of absentees, having been sidelined due to acute appendicitis.
The PCB confirmed Noman’s successful surgery and stable recovery, though his absence compounds the team’s bowling woes, particularly with Abrar Ahmed already injured. Sajid Khan’s late arrival in Perth meant he missed the first Test, stepping in as a replacement.
Adding to the team’s woes, Khurram Shazad’s injury woes were unveiled earlier in the week, revealing a stress fracture in his ribs and an abdominal muscle tear. As the second Test looms on December 26th at the MCG, Pakistan faces an uphill battle in their bowling department.
The absence of key fast bowlers like Khurram Shahzad, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, the latter opting out, has necessitated the inclusion of debutants Aamer Jamal and Shahzad in the fast bowling unit, alongside Mir Hamza, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Wasim Jnr.
This challenging scenario adds immense pressure to Pakistan’s bid for crucial ICC World Test Championship points in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.
