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After losing the Perth Test by 360 runs, Pakistan suffered a major blow ahead of the second Test in Melbourne. As per a report by ESPNCricinfo, pacer Khurram Shahzad was sent for an MRI scan. Shahzad who made his Test debut in the previous game complained of discomfort in his left side during the second innings of the opening Test of the series.
Notably, Shahzad's pace dropped in the second innings as he struggled with strain in his left side. Despite that, he managed to take three wickets in the second innings. Shahzad struck with the new ball and dismissed opener David Warner for a five-ball duck. A few overs later, he got the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne for a single-digit score.
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Later, he returned to break the third-wicket partnership between Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith. He conceded 45 runs, bowled four maidens, and took three wickets from 16 overs he bowled.
Earlier, in the first innings, the 24-year-old made Smith his maiden Test wicket. He also dismissed Mitchell Marsh who was dealing in boundaries.
As Shahzad is doubtful for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. are three pacers who can replace him. However, if Abrar Ahmed recovers, he may walk into the side. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali is another option if captain Shan Masood and the team management opt for three pacers in their bowling lineup.
Before facing Pat Cummins’ Australia in the Melbourne Test, Pakistan will test their players against Victoria XI in a two-day practice game which will start on December 22. The two-day practice game was not a part of the original schedule. But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) requested the game as they could not test all their players in the warm-up game against Prime Ministers XI which had a first-class status meaning only 11 players could participate.
"That [the Victoria tour game] was something extra we added into the schedule because it wasn't there earlier," Pakistan’s Director of Cricket Mohammad Hafeez said after the Test.
"We wanted to have more practice rather than only one practice game. That had first-class status, so we couldn't give all the bowlers the chance to have a feel. That's the reason we wanted to have this practice game, so more guys could get a feel of a match scenario; we felt that would work well. We will definitely plan accordingly. All the players should use those two days to make themselves more familiar with the situations and the conditions."
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