Pakistan batsman, Sohaib Maqsood, who has been known for his aggressive batting style, has been ruled out of the national squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled to be taking place in the UAE and Oman from October 17 after he suffered a back injury. Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) medical panel comprising Chief Medical Officer Dr. Najeeb and Physiotherapist Cliffe Deacon has suggested Sohaib Maqsood rest after his medical checkup.
PCB is yet to announce the replacement for Shoaib Maqsood for the national squad for the mega event and it will be expected to be announced soon.
Some of the earlier reports have suggested that the PCB is likely to replace Maqsood with Shoaib Malik as the former was having difficulty in walking after the injury. A day earlier, Sohaib Maqsood was brought to a hospital for an MRI scan as he was finding it difficult to walk.
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Sohaib Maqsood has played 26 T20Is for Pakistan in which he has scored 273 runs at an average of 13.65 and a strike rate of 116.67. On the other hand, Maqsood’s likely replacement, Shoaib Malik is one of the legends of Pakistan cricket.
Malik is currently the second-highest run-getter for the country in the shortest format of the game and he has amassed 2335 runs in 116 T20I matches. He has maintained an average of 31.13 in the T20I format of the game and has also scored 8 fifties as well. Malik has also picked up 28 wickets with the ball as well in T20Is.
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This would be the fourth change in the initial Pakistan squad which was announced on September 4. On Friday, the PCB decided to make three changes in the team after taking into consideration player performances and form during the National T20 Cup.
Sarfaraz Ahmed and Haider Ali have been replaced by Azam Khan and Mohammad Hasnain respectively, while Fakhar Zaman, who was originally named as a travel reserve, has been excluded to find a place for Khushdil Shah.
