Pakistan suffer Yasir setback on eve of first Test

ABU DHABI: Pakistan will begin their opening Test against England in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday (today) as firm favourites even though there is a big question mark on whether their trump card Yasir Shah would be able to turn up for the series opener.
Yasir, the prolific leggie whom many believe will be Pakistan’s key player in the three-Test series, went down with a back problem in training.
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq said he had experienced a back spasm and an assessment would be made in the morning.
Yasir was bowling in the nets and collapsed after catching his studs in the turf. He was left lying on the ground in apparent pain before being helped away by fellow spinner Zulfiqar Babar.
Yasir, who recently became the fastest Pakistani to 50 Test wickets, has been viewed as one of the key bowlers in the series and his absence would be a significant blow for Misbah’s side. Pakistan’s No. 3, Azhar Ali, has already been ruled out with a foot injury.
“We want to wait until tomorrow and hoping for the best,” Misbah said. “He got a back spasm and let’s see [how his recovery goes] overnight. His loss could be a big blow but we are hoping that he will be a fine as he is our key player and we are very much concerned about him.
“Obviously we are looking into it [a replacement]. In case if he won’t recover then we need to have someone and we are working on that. Hopefully we will get someone for tomorrow morning.
“Considering the injury to Azhar Ali, now if Yasir couldn’t make it it will be a tough challenge for us. It will be hard for us to cope without him but this is exactly the same scenario, we are already playing against a top team and we knew we have to come hard so it will be more challenging.”
Pakistan have called up left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar, who played against England in their two warm-up matches last week. Gohar had returned to Pakistan and is unlikely arrive back in the UAE before the start of the Test on Tuesday, which means Pakistan may have to resort to playing another pace bowler if Yasir is unfit.
Pakistan are relying heavily on Shah and fellow left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar to win the three-match series in the UAE.
Yasir took 24 wickets in Pakistan’s 2-1 win in the Tests in Sri Lanka in July and was seen as the dangerman for England, who were routed 3-0 by spinners Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman in 2012.
Dogged by the twin injuries, Pakistan also have two remarkable comebacks on the cards. Shoaib Malik has not played a Test for Pakistan since their defeat at Edgbaston on the infamous 2010 tour of England. However, Azhar’s absence, coupled with a likely need for auxiliary spin options, means his return is all but guaranteed. An average of 33.45 from 32 Tests is little to write home about, but Shoaib seized his chance after being recalled to the ODI squad, and has averaged exactly 100 in 11 matches in 2015.
Fawad Alam has been on the outside looking in for even longer than that. His century on debut against Sri Lanka in 2009 was followed by two more Tests and six years of exile. His return to the squad is the first step towards a second coming. With Misbah and Younis nearing the end of their illustrious careers, further opportunities for veteran batsmen may materialise in the coming months.
Pakistan are undefeated in the seven Tests played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi since its inauguration in November 2010. Of those they have won four and drawn three.
Meanwhile, England fast bowler Steven Finn has been ruled out of the first Test due to a foot injury.
Finn took four wickets in a warm-up game against Pakistan A last week and was expected to be named in the team for the match in Abu Dhabi which starts on Tuesday.
“It’s a bitter blow for him, he’s had a huge 12 months,” England captain Alastair Cook told reporters. “Hopefully, he’ll be right for the second Test.”
Cook will open the batting with Moeen Ali, leg-spinner Adil Rashid will make his Test debut and fast bowler James Anderson returns to the side after missing the last two tests in this year’s Ashes series win over Australia.
Steven Finn’s foot injury has shelved the one remaining debate about the balance of England’s attack. Though the man himself disputes that he counts as a genuine 90mph bowler, Finn’s rare ability to extract lift in all conditions made him a genuine contender for selection, as his four-wicket haul in the second warm-up confirmed. Instead, Mark Wood’s reverse-swinging allsorts will complete the sextet.