Pakistan cricket team has suffered yet another injury setback as left-arm spinner Noman Ali will miss the remaining Tests of the ongoing series against Australia. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a statement that the veteran spinner had to undergo surgery after being diagnosed with acute appendicitis.
The 37-year-old, complaining of severe abdominal pain, has undergone laparoscopic appendectomy on Saturday, which is believed to have transpired successfully. The board issued a statement that he was doing okay and shall be discharged in the afternoon.
Along with leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, Noman found a place in the squad as a back-up spinner. However, Abrar sustained an injury during the tour match, ruling him out of the opening Test in Perth. The PCB announced Sajid Khan as his replacement, but he could not arrive in time to participate in the Perth Test. Hence, the tourists had to make do with Agha Salman, who could hardly find any success.
Sajid Khan remains the sole specialist spinner for injury-hit Pakistan:
Injuries to Noman Ali and Abrar Ahmed means Sajid is the only spinner with no apparent fitness concerns. Pakistan are likely to field a spinner for the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and Sajid is in line to replace Agha Salman.
The visitors' pace-bowling unit has also taken a hit as Khurram Shahzad's stress fracture in his rib ruled him out of the series. Experienced seamer Hasan Ali remains the frontrunner to replace Shahzad in the 2nd Test. Pakistan went down by a hefty 360-run margin in Perth.
