Debutant Permaul limps off with suspected ankle injury

KARACHI: Making his Twenty20 International debut, things didn’t go well for West Indian spinner Veerasammy Permaul who was stretchered off the field during the first T20I between Pakistan and West Indies here at the National Stadium on Sunday night.

The 28-year-old Permaul who was handed his T20I debut along with Keemo Paul in the series opener twisted his ankle while bowling his first over in the match and had to be taken to a local hospital for scans.

Bowling the tenth over of Pakistan’s innings, Permaul delivered two wides and three legal balls before falling on the ground in pain after twisting his ankle. He was taken off the field with Marlon Samuels coming in to complete the 10th over.

Permaul, a left-arm spinner from Guyana, was playing his first T20I after having represented West Indies in six Tests and seven One-day Internationals. West Indies must be hoping that Permaul’s injury isn’t serious as they have come to Pakistan with just 13 players and cannot afford to lose any members during the brief three-match series which concludes on Tuesday (tomorrow).

Earlier, West Indies’ captain won the toss and elected to bowl in pleasant conditions. Of the 13-man squad named by the West Indies, the two who sit out the game are the uncapped Odean Smith and Andre McCarthy.

Meanwhile, Pakistan have handed debuts to two players - Asif Ali and Hussain Talat - both from the Islamabad United team that recently won its second PSL title.