Naseem Shah may not play in the World Cup.

One of Pakistan‘s top bowlers appears to be questionable for the World Cup, dealing the squad a significant setback in its World Cup campaign. Naseem Shah, a cornerstone of their assault, is out for the full competition from October 5 to November 19 due to a major shoulder injury. Even a little involvement raises questions.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board’s medical team has been monitoring the status of Naseem Shah shoulder injury sustained during the Asia Cup 2023,” read a statement from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Expert medical advice is being sought in order to give Naseem Shah the finest care possible. Based on additional evaluations, the PCB medical panel will decide if the fast bowler can resume playing cricket.

Two days after Babar Azam’s team was eliminated from the Asia Cup, there were questions about his availability. The pivotal Super 4 match versus Sri Lanka was missed by the right-arm bowler.

In a match that came down to the last ball, Pakistan lost, and Naseem Shah absence was noticeably noticed.

According to PCB officials who spoke with Cricbuzz, his reports will be sent to the UK for guidance. The team management will respond appropriately, but at this point, it doesn’t appear likely that he’ll play in the World Cup. Naseem has appeared in 17 Tests, 14 ODIs, and 19 T20Is during the course of his young career.

Officials from the PCB are optimistic that Haris Rauf, who missed the Sri Lanka game as well, will be available for the World Cup. He only felt pain in his rib cage, according to the officials, and was forced to take a break from the crucial game on September 14.

The PCB will also conduct an assessment of the team’s Asia Cup performance. The team entered as a favourite but fell short of the championship game. The meeting, which is anticipated to take place on Monday, will be attended by chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, the chairman of the cricket committee Misbah-ul-Haq, and selector Mohammad Hafeez. According to local media reports, the PCB may decide to allow its players to compete in just one foreign T20 league—aside from the PSL, of course—in order to keep them physically fit.

On September 25, the Pakistani team will depart for India, travelling through Dubai, and will arrive in Hyderabad two days later. On October 6, they will face the Netherlands in their inaugural match. The highly anticipated encounter between them and India will take place on October 14 in Ahmedabad.