COLOMBO: Pace bowler Zaman Khan has reached Colombo on Wednesday to join the Pakistan squad ahead of their final Super 4 stage match of the ongoing ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023 against Sri Lanka on September 14.

Zaman Khan was included in the Pakistan squad as the backup pacer along with Shahnawaz Dahani after fast bowlers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah picked up niggles in the match against India.

“This is only a precautionary measure keeping in mind the fitness and well-being of the players ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup next month,” the statement by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.

The statement noted that Haris and Naseem will continue to remain under the observation of the team’s medical panel.

“The team management will only request replacement from the ACC technical committee if Naseem or Haris are ruled out for the next seven days,” it concluded.

Zaman Khan departed from Lahore and joined the team at the hotel in Colombo, while Shahnawaz is awaiting his visa and will reach Colombo by the next available flight as soon as he gets the visa.

Pakistan will play their last Super 4 match tomorrow against Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.

This match will serve as a virtual semi-final, as the winner of this contest will face India in the final of Asia Cup 2023.

India has qualified for the final of Asia Cup 2023 after handing Pakistan a 228-run thrashing in a rain-hit Super Four clash of the Asia Cup 2023 on Monday’s reserve day, and following it up with a thrilling 41-run victory over Sri Lanka yesterday.

Notably, if the all-important clash between Pakistan and Sri Lanka gets washed out then Sri Lanka will join India in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 due to a superior net run rate.

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