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INJURY RULES IMRAN KHAN OUT OF THIRD ENGLAND TEST

England’s Wood rests for third Test due to chronic ankle issue

Saturday, October 31, 2015 - Sharjah—Pakistan fast bowler Imran Khan was ruled out of the third and final Test againstEngland after he suffered a hand injury in fielding practice, the team manager said Friday.

The 28-year-old injured webbing on his bowling hand and a finger while catching a ball in training at the Sharjah stadium.

Team manager Intikhab Alam said Khan was taken to hospital for treatment.

“Khan hurt his bowling hand and a finger so he was sent to hospital, where he got four stitches and he will take ten days to recover,” Alam told AFP.

The third Test starts in Sharjah from Sunday.

Khan, who made his debut against Australia last year, took six wickets in the two Test matches, four in Dubai where Pakistan won by 178 runs.

The first Test ended in a draw in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan have the option of bringing in left-arm paceman Rahat Ali, who played in the first match.

Pakistan can also bring in off-spinner Bilal Asif whose bowling action was reported earlier this month.

But Asif can still play pending a report on the biomechanical test of his action conducted in Chennai, India on October 19.

As per the rules, if Asif is suspended from bowling he can still complete in the Test match.

Mark Wood has been rested from the final Test against Pakistan, in Sharjah, as part of the management of his chronic ankle problem.

It is understood that it was always England’s plan to rest Wood during this series regardless of his performances, although the way he came through the first two matches had suggested he may make the full series. He produced his most impressive Test in Dubai, taking five wickets in the match with sustained hostility, including 3 for 39 in the first innings.

Wood was left out of the third Test against Australia, at Edgbaston, earlier this year due to similar concerns over his ankle but this time the decision to leave him out has been taken well ahead of the start and could be a nod towards greater player rotation in Tests.

Steven Finn’s withdrawal earlier in the tour with a foot injury hampered England’s plans to rotate between him and Wood during the series and it was decided to give Wood the back-to-back Tests in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Wood has previously admitted he may need surgery on his ankle at some point but England’s packed schedule would mean him missing a considerable amount of cricket.—Agencies