On Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that a 24-year-old player from the team had been sent for an MRI scan. This happened after the team’s 360-run loss in a recent match. The player in question took five wickets on his debut at Perth Stadium as a part of the raw pace unit. The medical panel of the team will assess the result of the MRI scan. Pakistan is already depleted in attack, with injured quick Naseem Shah sidelined and Haris Rauf having opted out of the series to play in Australia’s T20 Big Bash League.
The Green Shirts’ unlikely bid to win their first Test in Australia since 1995 was left in tatters by Nathan Lyon and the home side’s formidable pace attack, who wrapped up the game inside four days.
Chasing 450 for victory, the visitors succumbed meekly, with Lyon taking 2-14. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood both grabbed three wickets each.
“Great start to the summer; everything fell into place. We’ve played a lot of cricket, so the build-up was very chilled and relaxed,” Australia captain Pat Cummins had said after the match. “No hiccups this week; it’s all gone to plan.
“500 Test wickets around the world is huge,” he added of Lyon. “Couldn’t be happier for him.”
Australia had declared on day four at 233-5 after Pakistan were dismissed for 271 in their first innings in reply to the hosts’ 487.
The second Test starts on Tuesday (Dec 26) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
