PCB rules out Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Muqeem for Sri Lanka ODI
Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Muqeem ruled out of opening Sri Lanka ODI due to illness.
Pakistan wrist-spinners Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Muqeem have been ruled out of the opening ODI against Sri Lanka due to illness, the PCB confirmed on Sunday. The tri-series, which also includes England, runs until October 31 with matches in Rawalpindi and Lahore. Both players are receiving treatment under the national team's medical staff and will be monitored for selection in later matches.
Shadab, 27, has dealt with shoulder and groin injuries in recent years, while left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem underwent left knee surgery in January 2024 that kept him out of competitive cricket for an extended period. Pakistan faces England later in the series, which serves as preparation for the 2027 World Cup.
The PCB said both spinners remain under close observation, with decisions on their return dependent on medical assessments.
CricHubb Take
The tri-series timing means Pakistan will test combinations without two key white-ball options, shifting reliance onto other spinners for middle-overs control.