With a week left for the start of ICC T20 World Cup, Pakistan team has suffered a big blow. One of the promising batters in Pakistan’s batting line-up, Sohaib Maqsood has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup due to a back injury. Sohaib injured his back on October 6 and was in pain during Pakistan's National T20 Cup. On October 10, it was confirmed that he couldn’t take part in the mega event.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced Shoaib Malik as a replacement for Maqsood for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Maqsood, a handy batter
Maqsood has been a crucial part of Pakistan's batting lineup of late. His numbers don't do him justice on international level as he has played 26 T20Is and scored 273 runs in 22 innings. He has an average of 13.65 and a strike rate of 116.66. Maqsood has played only one T20I against India in the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup where he scored 21 runs. The right-handed batter was expected to play against India again on October 24 but the injury has ruled him out.
Pakistan to face India in Group B
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will face each other on October 24 in Dubai International Stadium, Dubai. This will be their 6th clash in the T20 World Cup events. Both the teams have clashed 5 times before in the mega event but India have emerged victorious on all five occasions. The same goes for the 50-over ICC World Cup where both the teams have met seven times and India have won all of them.
