Pakistan would be relieved their backup middle-order batter Shan Masood has escaped a potential bout with concussion following a blow to his head during the nets at the Melbourne Cricket Ground before their T20 World Cup clash against India.
Two days before Pakistan’s high-voltage Super 12s opener on Sunday, the player had to be rushed to a nearby hospital in Melbourne after receiving a stray shot by teammate Mohammad Nawaz on his head.
Scans performed on the cricketer at this medical facility, however, confirmed that he isn’t down with a concussion. The Pakistan Cricket Board clarified the air on Masood, stating that the player only displayed “a superficial bruising” on the part where the ball hit him and is currently “asymptomatic” for concussion.
The incident happened when Masood took off his helmet as he wasn’t batting in the nets. A shot played by left-hander Nawaz hit him on the head, bringing him down on the ground in evident pain. He was immediately attended by the team doctor, who advised the cricketer to be taken to a nearby hospital for proper verification.
Despite the blow, though, there was no real panic within the Pakistan camp since, as ESPNcricinfo reported, Masood was conscious and reported no immediate concussion symptoms.
“He was hit awkwardly in a sensitive area. I don’t know his current status, but he has passed the tests taken by our physio. Now, he’s gone to the hospital for a scan. We’re praying for his quick recovery,”
Shadab Khan was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Masood has become an integral part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup plans from his debut last month, when he replaced the then-injured Fakhar Zaman ahead of the home T20I series against England. The left-hander played all seven matches and scored two half-centuries batting at No.3. He was also a regular for the T20I tri-series that followed in New Zealand.
Considered a Test match specialist for most of his career, Masood has been a player on the rise in T20s. Since the beginning of the year, the left-hander has scored 1,468 runs in all T20s at an average of 35.80 with a strike-rate of 134.43.
