Pakistan’s Abrar Hospitalized During Test Against England

Pakistan’s leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed has been hospitalized after falling ill during the first Test against England in Multan, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. Abrar experienced body aches and a high fever on the morning of the fourth day, following an intensive spell of 31 overs on day three. Consequently, he was unable to participate in the day’s play.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued a statement confirming that the 25-year-old cricketer is undergoing medical tests. Further information is expected once the test results are available. Abrar’s unavailability presents a significant hurdle for Pakistan, especially given the difficulties their bowling lineup has faced on Multan’s flat pitch.

Abrar’s health issues surfaced after a challenging third day, where England’s batsmen dominated. Despite his efforts across more than 30 overs, Abrar failed to take a wicket and conceded 174 runs at an economy rate of 5.00. This performance starkly contrasts with his previous success against the same team when he claimed an 11-wicket match haul at the same venue.

Throughout his career, Abrar has been plagued by injuries. He first emerged on the professional cricket scene with Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League as an 18-year-old. However, a persistent back injury caused him to spend years out of the game. He also missed Pakistan’s three-Test tour of Australia and the first Test against Bangladesh in August due to a nerve injury.

If Abrar remains unfit for Day 5, Pakistan faces the prospect of ending their innings with only 10 players, having already lost six wickets for 152 runs. England, with a massive total of 823/7 declared in their first innings, established a 267-run lead, applying heavy pressure on the hosts. Joe Root and Harry Brook spearheaded England’s batting with a record-breaking 454-run partnership.

Pakistan struggled in response, collapsing to 152/6 by the end of Day 4, leaving them to overcome a deficit of 115 runs amidst England’s formidable bowling attack. The visitors’ dominance on the pitch has left Pakistan grappling with yet another potential setback on home ground.