MELBOURNE: Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed will not be available for Pakistan’s second Test of the three-match series against Australia, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared Saturday.
According to the PCB, Abrar Ahmed’s symptoms have significantly improved but the mystery spinner did not fully recover and thus will not be considered for selection for the Boxing Day Test against Australia.
“Abrar Ahmed’s symptoms have significantly improved, and he has started bowling at 50 per cent intensity. Although he has worked really well since his diagnosis in Canberra, he still is not 100 per cent asymptomatic,” stated PCB.
“Considering the nature of the injury and the workload required from a spinner in a Test match, Abrar is not yet ready and will therefore not be available for the second Test.
“He will undergo a preliminary fitness test on 25 December, which will determine his probable return-to-play date.”
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Notably, Abrar Ahmed complained of discomfort in his right leg after bowling eight overs on the third day of a four-day game against Prime Minister’s XI.
Consequently, the 25-year-old spinner was taken off the field and was then sent for an MRI scan.
Sajid Khan was then added to the Pakistan squad for the Australia Tests to provide a cover for the injured mystery spinner.
For the unversed, Abrar was the first Pakistan player to suffer an injury on the Australian shores while Khurram Shahzad and Noman Ali became the latest victims.
Both Khurram and Noman have been ruled out of the entirety of the series while Abrar is still in race to attain complete fitness before the third Test.
Pakistan Test squad
Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafiq, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sajid Khan.