LAHORE (Pakistan): Sohaib Maqsood has been ruled out of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 due to a lower back injury and has been replaced by Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Saturday.
Sohaib had underwent MRI scans for the lower back on Thursday after picking up the injury during 6 October match against Northern and consequently missed 7 October match against Central Punjab.
“Sohaib is devastated to miss out on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as he had worked hard for this event and was in sparkling form. We feel for him but injuries are part and parcel of the sport. I am sure after undergoing rehabilitation, he’ll fully recover to be available for future assignments,” said Chief selector Muhammad Wasim.
Shoaib captained Pakistan in the inaugural event in 2007 and was a member of the side that won the tournament in 2009. After missing the West Indies event in 2010, he featured in the 2012, 2014 and 2016 tournaments.
The Pakistan squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will depart for Dubai on 15 October.
They will play two warm-up matches against the West Indies and South Africa on 18 and 20 October, respectively before taking on India in a Group-2 fixture on 24 October at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Squad: Babar Azam (captain, Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain, Northern), Asif Ali (Northern), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imad Wasim (Northern), Mohammad Hafeez (Central Punjab), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper, Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Shoaib Malik (Central Punjab).
Traveling reserves: Khushdil Shah (Southern Punjab), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab).
