LAHORE: Luckless leg-spinner Shadab Khan left for London late on Tuesday to consult a specialist to cure his virus-related disease, which has prevented him from accompanying the World Cup-bound squad that reached London earlier on Tuesday.
Shadab, 20, was last Thursday selected as a member of the squad for the five-game ODI series against England (to be staged from May 8 to 19) and the May 30-July 14 World Cup.
However, on Sunday, the shocking news about the bowler’s illness surfaced as a result of the blood test reports.
The development has come as a major setback for Pakistan since Shadab is considered as a key bowler of the team. In his place, the selection committee has included another leg-spinner Yasir Shah who possesses a very ordinary ODI record.
For Shadab, the PCB has arranged an appointment with Dr Patrick Kennedy in London on Thursday and Friday.
Though the team management still hopes that Shadab — having claimed 47 wickets in 34 ODIs at 27.74 — will be fit before the start of the World Cup, presently it looks difficult as at least five to six weeks are required for the bowler to recover fully.
