Pakistan top-order batter Shan Masood was taken to the hospital after a critical blow to the head during a practice session at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) ahead of their match against India in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia on Sunday.
Shan was struck on the right side of his head while waiting for his turn to bat in the practice. The batter collapsed to the ground after being hit by a shot from Mohammad Nawaz in the nets. He remained on the ground for about six minutes.
But he was able to walk off the pitch as the medical team and his teammates provided primary aid. He was then taken to the hospital for scans and further investigation of the injury.
Given it’s a head injury, he’s to be kept under observation and wait until the results come out to ensure he’ll be able to play in their first match of the T20 WC against India. The 33-year-old was recently called up to the squad to replace Fakhar Zaman in the top-order. Shan played all of Pakistan’s last 12 matches, where he scored two fifties.
Later in the day, PCB stated that all of Masood's neurological observations are normal and that his CT scan only showed superficial bruising where the ball struck him. The board also said that he will be re-tested for a concussion on Saturday, October 22.
If the left-handed batter misses the match against India, Fakhar Zaman could replace him in the XI. Zaman was recently called back into the 15-man squad to replace Usman Qadri. Zaman has just returned from a knee injury and even underwent a fitness test in Brisbane during Pakistan's washed-out warm-up game against Afghanistan on Wednesday.
