Pakistan on Saturday suffered a new Asia Cup blow with fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani ruled out of the key India clash due to a suspected side strain.
Babar Azam’s Pakistan will meet India for the second time in the Twenty20 tournament in a Super Four contest in Dubai on Sunday.
Dahani is the third Pakistan quick to be forced out with injury after Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Wasim left the team ahead of the six-nation tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
Pakistan lost the opener to India but hammered Hong Kong by 155 runs to enter the Super Stage of the tournament, which acts as a tune-up for the T20 World Cup in Australia.
The team said Dahani’s injury “happened while bowling in the match against Hong Kong in Sharjah on Friday”.
“As in the case with any suspected side strain injury, the medical team will monitor him for the next 48-72 hours, following which they will make decisions, including carrying out a scan and further participation in the tournament,” read a team statement.
But it is feared that Dahani will have to sit out the rest of the matches, with Hasan Ali, who made the team in place of Wasim, his likely replacement in the XI.
Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are the other two teams in the Super Four from Group B after Bangladesh bowed out.
