Pakistan’s journey in the 2023 World Cup has been tumultuous. Initially, they displayed promise with victories over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, but their aspirations took a severe hit when they suffered a resounding seven-wicket defeat at the hands of the host nation, India, in Ahmedabad. This humbling loss raised serious doubts about their ability to secure a spot in the tournament’s semifinals.
As they strive to get their campaign back on track, a new challenge has emerged – a health concern affecting some of their key players. According to reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had initially scheduled a training session for Tuesday morning at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where they are set to face five-time champions Australia on October 20.
However, given the physical and emotional toll of their recent defeat, the team decided to cancel the practice session to allow the players some much-needed rest. The players had arrived in Bengaluru on Sunday following their loss to India in Ahmedabad. On the following day, a video posted on the Pakistan cricket team’s social media account showed some players, including Babar Azam and Mohammad Nawaz, enjoying a dinner outing in the city.
Unfortunately, as they prepared for their crucial upcoming match, a setback occurred. It was reported that five players were dealing with high fever since their arrival in Bengaluru. Opener Abdullah Shafique, who had previously played a crucial role by scoring a century in Pakistan’s record-breaking chase against Sri Lanka, remained ill and was yet to recover.
Pakistan had a good tournament so far in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
However, there were signs of improvement for players like Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir, who had experienced fever-like symptoms but were on the path to recovery. To address this health concern and avoid any further complications, the Pakistan team opted to reschedule a training session for Tuesday evening at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Their goal remains clear: to bounce back from the disheartening loss to India and face Australia, a team that recently secured its first win in the tournament against Sri Lanka, following defeats to India and South Africa in their initial matches.
The Pakistan team’s media manager assured that those players who are still in the recovery phase are under the observation of the team’s medical panel. As they confront the dual challenges of recovering from illness and regaining their competitive edge, Pakistan’s determination and resilience will be put to the test as they strive to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
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