Team suffers injury scare as Wahab hit on bowling arm

Pakistan left-arm pacer sustains a glancing blow while batting in the nets on Tuesday

KARACHI: Pakistan suffered a scare on Tuesday when pacer Wahab Riaz was hit on the elbow while batting in the nets ahead of their T20I series decider against hosts New Zealand on Friday.

However, despite initial concerns, the left-arm pacer was given the all-clear by physiotherapist Brad Robbinson, who is expected to leave the side after the tour.

Wahab was struck on his bowling arm by one of the volunteers who turned out to bowl to Pakistani batsmen in Wellington.



Wahab had sustained a fracture in his left wrist on the tour of Sri Lanka when he was hit by speedster Dushmantha Chameera, with the injury sidelining him for a couple of weeks.

When Pakistan team’s media manager Agha Akbar was contacted on the issue, he confirmed that Wahab is fine and the injury was nothing serious.



“Wahab sustained a glancing blow while batting in the nets today and there is nothing serious about it,” Akbar told The Express Tribune. “No scans were required. There was little bruising around his elbow but he was treated and has been asked to apply some ice so that the bruising can be minimised. He remains in contention for the T20I series decider.”

Apart from Wahab, there are also concerns over the fitness of all-rounder Shoaib Malik as it has been learnt that he was not fully fit when he was took to the field in the second T20I, suffering from a slight hamstring niggle. However, the team management is hopeful that both Wahab and Malik will regain full fitness in time for the final T20I.



The Men in Green initially led the series 1-0 against the Black Caps but were flattened in the second T20I in which openers Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson made a record-breaking unbeaten 171-run opening stand that gave New Zealand a series-levelling 10-wicket win.