Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2017: Mohammad Amir rushed to hospital for MRI after hobbling off on day 2 of 2nd Test

What's the story?

Pakistan's pace spearhead Mohammad Amir has reportedly been taken to the hospital to undergo an MRI after hobbling off the field of play during the second day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Amir managed to bowl just three overs on the day, failing to pick up a wicket, before he was forced off by the injury.

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Amir had picked up the injury on day 1 of the Test at Dubai. After completing 17.3 overs, he limped off the field and returned to the dugout. He was monitored overnight but cleared to return for day 2. “Amir was assessed for a shin injury and bowled in the nets,” said the team management. “He looked in discomfort initially but was cleared after bowling with a full run-up.”

The heart of the matter

While he was cleared to bowl, it is obvious that he was not fully fit. The injury resurfaced midway through his 17th over and Amir was forced off, leaving Pakistan in a deep hole. Sri Lanka had already amassed 302 for the loss of four wickets when the pacer was taken off, and have since chugged along nicely, building up a total of over 400.

At the time of writing, the Lankans are well-placed at 432/6. Amir, meanwhile, did not have a great game by his own lofty standards, picking up a solitary wicket - that of Samarawickrama. This abject performance followed a woeful one in the first Test where he bowled 39 overs without scalping a wicket.

What's next?

It is unlikely that the 25-year-old will take the field again in this match. However, with Sri Lanka set to notch up a total over 500, there will be plenty of time for Amir to sit on his heels and heal - that is if Pakistan can bat long enough. The management will be unwilling to risk him though and would much rather save him for the ODI series.

However, if the MRI does show something severe - the initial prognosis was shin splints which does not take too long to recover from - he may be out of action for a month at least, meaning he will miss the five-match ODI series and the three-match T20I series that follows.

Author's take

Amir has been struggling for form lately and while Pakistan may miss his services in this game, it also gives them the opportunity to rope in someone else who would in all likelihood do a better job. A break could do Amir a world of good and help him return as the world-beater he was before his spot-fixing ban.