Pak vs Eng: Green Shirts suffer blow as Haris Rauf no longer available to bowl in first Test

PCB says Haris Rauf suffered strain in his right quad after he rolled over ball while fielding on first day of Test

Web Desk

December 04, 2022

Pakistn´s Haris Rauf (R) delivers the ball England´s Harry Brook (L) watches during the first day of the first cricket Test match between Pakistan and England at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, in Rawalpindi on December 1, 2022. — AFP

Pakistan suffered a blow as seamer Haris Rauf will be unable to bowl for the rest of the ongoing first Test against England due to a strain, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Sunday morning.

However, the PCB said that the player will be available for batting during the match.

The right-arm pacer suffered a strain in his right quad after he rolled over the ball while fielding on the first day of the match on Thursday. He then underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at the hospital on Friday.

Rauf is among four players who are making their debut for Pakistan during the ongoing Test series against England. Apart from the speedster, the debutants include pacer Mohammad Ali, leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood and batter Saud Shakeel.

This is the first time after 2003, against Bangladesh in Karachi, that Pakistan have handed Test caps to four players in a single match.

During the Bangladesh Test nearly two decades ago, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Gul, Shabbir Ahmed and Yasir Hameed made their debut for the national side.

England take lead over Pakistan in first innings

England on Sunday dismissed Pakistan for 579 in the first innings with spinner Will Jacks, who is making his debut, taking a six-wicket haul.

The visitors have taken a lead of 78 runs in the first innings.

Earlier, Pakistan resumed their first innings on day four of the opening Test against England on day four in Rawalpindi.

England found ways to take wickets and sensed a good lead despite hundreds from three Pakistan players on the third day.

Pakistan were 499-7 at stumps with Agha Salman (10) and Zahid Mahmood (yet to score) at the crease — still trailing England´s mammoth 657 first innings total by 158 runs, with three wickets in hand.

On a see-saw day, Pakistan were lifted by centuries from skipper Babar Azam (136), and openers Imam-ul-Haq (121) and Abdullah Shafique (114).

But England took three wickets in the first session, none in the second and three again before the close to put themselves in a better position.

Spinners Will Jacks (3-132) and Jack Leach (2-160) shared the early spoils, while the pace duo of James Anderson and Ollie Robinson took a wicket each.