Pakistan's left-arm spinner Noman Ali has been ruled out of the remaining two Tests against Australia after being diagnosed with acute appendicitis. The Pakistan Cricket Board has named left-arm spin all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz as Noman's replacement.
The slow left-arm orthodox bowler was rushed to a hospital after he complained of a sudden and unbearable pain in his abdomen. He underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy on Saturday after the scans confirmed appendicitis.
"Post-surgery he is stable and doing fine. He will be discharged later this afternoon," the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed in a statement.
Noman, 37, has represented Pakistan in 15 Test matches. The Sind-born has bagged 47 scalps in his Test career at an average of 33.53. He has snared one four-wicket haul and four five-fors.
Noman's condition has put Pakistan's bowling in disarray. His fellow spinner Abrar Ahmed is already undergoing rehab after complaining of discomfort in his right leg. On the other hand, pacer Khurram Shahzad who featured for the visitors during the first Test in Perth has also been ruled out of the ongoing Test series after sustaining a stress fracture in his ribs along with a torn abdominal muscle.
Though Pakistan's newly-appointed team director, Mohammad Hafeez has reiterated many times that his side is capable of turning things around in the series, it looks highly unlikely now.
The Shan Masood-led side was comprehensively beaten in the opening Test of the Australian summer. With a bowling attack comprising only Shaheen Shah Afridi as an experienced name, Pakistan struggled to trouble the Aussie batters in Perth.
Though, debutant Aamer Jamal claimed a six-for in the first innings, his bowling efforts were not good enough to restrict the Pat Cummins-led side below 300. On the batting front, barring Imam-ul-Haq, none of the other batters managed to reach a half-century in the game.
The fourth innings saw a much dismal display from Shan and his men as they got bundled out for just 89 in pursuit of a mammoth total.
