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Yasir Shah ruled out of warm-up match against Cricket Australia XI due to injury

Yasir Shah is now battling to be fit for the first Test of the three-match series against Australia beginning December 15 at the Gabba

Yasir Shah has 116 Test wickets in 20 matches © Getty Images
Yasir Shah has 116 Test wickets in 20 matches © Getty Images

Cairns: Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah has been ruled out of the warm-up game against Cricket Australia XI due to a back injury. Yasir hurt his back during a training session at the Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns and is now battling to be fit for the first Test of the three-match series against Australia beginning December 15 at the Gabba. According to the ESPNcricinfo, Yasir is being treated by a doctor in Cairns, and has been advised a few days’ rest. Yasir, who made his debut in October 2014, has quickly developed into Pakistan’s first-choice spinner and has so far missed just one Test, which was against England in Abu Dhabi in October last year due to back spasms.

In July, he became the first leg-spinner since Shane Warne to be ranked the No. 1 Test bowler, and also the first Pakistan bowler since Mushtaq Ahmed in December 1996 to achieve the feat. Pakistan will play a three-day tour game against CA XI from December 8.

Full Cricket Scorecard: Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test at Brisbane

Only last year, Warne was quoted as saying that Yasir was “the best leg-spinner in the world”. “I have always been a fan since the first time I saw him a while ago — probably the best leg-spinner in the world, the way the ball comes out of his hand. It was a fantastic opportunity to work with Yasir.” He has said, further adding, “He is a wonderful bowler – beautiful – so we just worked on thinking who he has been having troubles with in the England side, some tactics and plans. He wants a bit more drift and bounce and little things that can help. I hope by the end of the series he will be bowling beautifully with a huge smile on his face.”

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