Rana Naved-ul-Hasan has been cleared of a major groin injury and could yet play a part in the Test series against England, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Naved-ul-Hasan was sent to Harley Street specialist Dr Gilmore for consultation and treatment for his injury. Following initial tests and scans, there were concerns that he would need surgery on the condition, which would not only keep him out of the series against England, but out of any cricket for at least three months.
Following the latest scan on Wednesday, however, it appears that Naved-ul-Hasan doesn't require surgery and may be able to resume bowling in two weeks. "We have got positive news today from the specialist. He says that Naved-ul-Hasan has shown improvement and his groin is better," Abbas Zaidi, director PCB, told Reuters.
"He has been given a further period of 15 days to rest and resume bowling again. We are hopeful now he can be considered for selection after the first Test." That would mean that Naved-ul-Hasan might play in the second Test, at Old Trafford, starting from July 27.
The news will be a considerable boost to Pakistan, who were resigned to playing the Test series without either Naved-ul-Hasan or Shoaib Akhtar, who is nursing an ankle fracture. That in itself isn't as bad as it sounds - they played most of last year without one or the other and recently won a tough series in Sri Lanka without either. But Naved-ul-Hasan's stupendous form in England for Sussex, in particular, meant that his loss would be crucial.
The seriousness of Shoaib's injury is also unclear; while Zaidi told Reuters that he would be fit only for the ODIs, Inzamam-ul-Haq, before leaving for England, made several statements indicating Shoaib would be fit for the second Test. Several PCB officials back this assertion though the situation is likely to become clearer when he undergoes a check-up from the PCB's medical commission to assess his recovery.
