Naseem Shah Faces Setback with Knee Injury During Islamabad United Match | PSL 2026

After finally returning to competitive cricket following a back injury earlier in the tournament, Naseem started brightly in this game. He delivered two tidy overs, giving away only nine runs, and picked up the important wicket of Mohammad Faiq as Rawalpindiz held Islamabad United to 137. 

However, his appearance was cut short when he suffered a knee injury while fielding, forcing him off the ground and ruling him out for the rest of the innings.

The 16th over saw Naseem sprinting to his left to stop the boundary, but in doing so, he twisted his body awkwardly, resulting in the injury. The Rawalpindiz medical team quickly attended to him, and after a brief examination, they decided he couldn’t continue. He was helped off the field and did not return for the remainder of the innings.

A Rawalpindiz statement confirmed the injury, stating, "Naseem Shah is out of the field because of [a] knee injury he has suffered while fielding. The medical team is assessing his condition." The statement assured fans that the bowler was being looked after, though his immediate return to the match was not possible.

Ongoing Challenges for Naseem Shah in PSL 2026

This latest injury adds to what has been a difficult tournament for Naseem Shah. Earlier, he found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons after a controversial social media post led to a fine of PKR 20 million. The young fast bowler later explained that his account had been hacked, and he parted ways with his social media manager. 

His back injury had also kept him out of action for a while, making his return in this match even more important. Unfortunately, his knee injury now casts doubt on his further participation in the ongoing season.

Rawalpindiz, who have already been eliminated from the tournament after losing their first eight matches, will hope for Naseem’s quick recovery, though their chances of advancing are slim.