Pakistan's Haris Rauf set to miss second Test against England

Rawalpindi, Dec 5 (IANS) Hours after slumping to a defeat to England in the first Test here, Pakistan suffered another setback as pacer Haris Rauf has been ruled out of the second Test at Multan because of an injury.

The 29-year-old Haris Rauf, who made his Test debut in the ongoing match against England, stepped on the ball while fielding, leading to an injury in his right quad, the ESPNCricinfo said in a report on Monday.

Rauf was sent for MRI scans, and though he did come out to bat in the first innings, he did not bowl when England batted for the second time in the Test. He had conceded 78 runs in 13 overs on the first day of the Test when Pakistan bowlers were sent on a leather hunt as England raced to a massive score.

Though a final word on the MRI scans is yet to be announced, Haris Rauf is unlikely to take part in the second Test and is in doubt for the rest of the series too.

The injury to Haris Rauf further depleted the Pakistan bowling attack, which is already missing left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi. Pakistan are likely to call a bowler from outside the 18 selected for this series.

England are facing their own injury problems with allrounder Liam Livingstone ruled out of the tour with a knee injury.

The second Test will start at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Friday (December 9).