Shinwari ruled out for six months with injury

Left-arm pacer hurt his back after second T20I against Sri Lanka last month

Pakistan left-arm pacer Usman Khan Shinwari faces a long spell on the sidelines after it was revealed that he incurred a stress fracture in his back after the second T20I against Sri Lanka last month.

Shinwari came in the limelight after he destroyed Sri Lanka’s top-order in just the second ODI of his career with figures of five-for 34.

The 23-year-old, according to the reports, will be out for six months in order to recuperate from what seems to a career-threatening lumbar-bone stress in his back.

Shinwari had suffered from the same problem in the early part of his career as well after he made his debut for Pakistan in the T20Is.

"It is disappointing but this [course of treatment] will give him the best chance of recovering as quickly as possible," Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur told ESPNcricinfo.

Usman replaced the then injured Mohammad Amir in the ODI squad against Sri Lanka and made an immediate impact with his pace and swing. He sent first five Sri Lanka batsmen packing in a span of 3.3 overs to stun the visitors.

Usman adds to Arthur’s headaches as the Pakistan coach is already missing several players due to injuries. Left-arm pacer Rumman Raees missed the T20Is against Sri Lanka due to a wrist impingement, right-hand batsman Babar Azam is suffering from a groin strain and Imad Wasim is recovering from a knee injury.

When asked if Arthur was worried, he said: "A little bit, but a lot of them just needed a bit of rest and that is why we have put such a lot of effort in developing our bench strength.”