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Picture Credit: PCB

Pakistan's tour of England in definitely not going forward as the two teams would have liked it to be. The unforgettable tour started with three players and four staff members of the England team testing positive for COVID-19. The follow up saw the hosts announcing a revised 18-man ODI squad for the Pakistan series.

Now, before the series could kick-off, it has dealt another blow as Pakistan's middle-order batsman Haris Sohail has been ruled out of the contest due to a hamstring injury. Notably, the player had picked up the injury during the training session in Derby last week. Later, MRI scans were conducted on Wednesday revealed that it is a grade three tear injury. The batsman has been advised to undergo a four-week rehabilitation programme after which a reassessment will be done on his fitness.

Haris' desire to return to ODI setup continues

It was in October 2020 when the southpaw last played an ODI match for the side. Since then he has been longing to make a return to white-ball cricket at the highest level. However, the recent injury now forces him to stay on the sidelines and wait for another opportunity after his recovery.

“I was keenly looking forward to the ODIs as part of my objective to contribute to the side’s success and also cement my position in the side. In this background, I am disappointed that my tour has been cut short, but I will return to Lahore and undergo a rehabilitation programme so that I can fully recover for the 2021-22 season,” said Haris.

Haris Sohail at international level

The southpaw had made his debut for Pakistan in 2013. Though he failed to impress in the shortest format, his stats in ODIs are impressive. In 42 one-dayers at the highest level, Haris has scored 1685 runs at an average of 46.80. His highest score in the format is 130 and has two centuries to his name alongside 15 half-centuries.

On the other hand, Pakistan's white-ball series against England starts on Thursday (July 8) with the three-match ODI series. After this, the two sides will face each other in the T20I series of as many matches concluding on July 20.