Injured Hasan Ali may need surgery

LAHORE: A back injury to Hasan Ali will potentially keep him out of cricket for a prolonged period, capping off a difficult few months for the pacer who, until 2019, was an essential component of Pakistan’s pace attack.

In part, Ali’s form and injuries resulted him in missing out on a central contract on Wednesday. And now it has emerged that the injury, identified as an intervertebral disc protrusion, could even, in the worst case, lead to surgery.

Earlier last season Ali had suffered a back injury during the opening round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in Lahore, following which he underwent a seven-week conservative rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy. He was declared fit for the final round of the tournament, only to suffer a fresh injury, a rib fracture, in November that ruled him out for a further six weeks. He consequently missed Pakistan’s international commitments in the season, but returned after another spell of rehab ahead of the PSL. He didn’t look at his best in the tournament, picking up eight wickets in nine games at an economy rate of 8.59 for Peshawar Zalmi.

But continuing pain in his back led to scans which confirmed the problem in the back had flared up again, with symptoms consistent with a lumbar herniated disk. With guidance from the PCB’s medical department, Ali consulted a local neurosurgeon and engaged an Australian physiotherapist for recovery. The PCB had intended to fly the bowler out to Australia, but with globally enforced lockdowns and travel restrictions in place, all consultations are currently being carried out via a video link. Ali, meanwhile, is on medication and is awaiting a decision by his doctors on whether he needs to go for surgery, or whether a more conservative treatment will suffice.

The flare-up will lead to questions about whether Ali should have returned to the PSL, though Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan coach and chief selector, insisted that Ali had played only after ticking off all fitness boxes.