Pakistan pacer Shahnawaz Dahani has been ruled out of Sunday’s marquee Super Four clash against arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup 2022 here due to a suspected side strain. (More Cricket News)
According to ESPN Cricinfo, the speedster, who played a cameo against India in their tournament opener last Sunday, will be monitored for the next 48-72 hours by the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) medical team.
Dahani took one wicket in the two matches that he has played in the tournament, at an economy rate of 6. Pakistan have two pacers -- Mohammad Hasnain and Hasan Ali -- and a spinner in Usman Qadir on the bench as potential replacements for Dahani.
Babar Azam's side crushed Hong Kong by 155 runs on Friday to seal its spot in the final four of the tournament, days after losing their opener to India by five wickets.
Meanwhile, Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan said his team-mates had joked each other that it's a ‘best of three-match series’ between the two sides in the ongoing continental tournament ahead of their Sunday clash.
India and Pakistan can still face in the summit clash here on September 11 whatever the outcome of the match on Sunday and that will make the arch-rivals face each other three times -- all of them on Sundays. India had beaten Pakistan by five wickets last Sunday.
“Fans from both countries anticipate a third meeting in next week's final. We have jokingly said among ourselves that it's a best of three-match series (between India and Pakistan),” Rizwan said in Sharjah after Pakistan's mammoth 155-run win over Hong Kong.
Competing alongside Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in the round-robin Super 4, India and Pakistan are fancied to finish top-two to set up a yet another Sunday showdown in the Asia Cup final here on September 11.
“Playing India is always a pressure game. Even people outside Asia wait for it. Obviously, it's always like a 'final' as there's so much passion involved in this game. We have to play good cricket and make the final. Obviously, we have to strengthen our cricket and put in the hard work,” the 30-year-old said.
