Rahis Nabi Ruled Out of Tournament as Injury Rocks Pakistan Midfield

MALE: Rahis Nabi ruled out of the tournament after the Pakistan midfielder suffered a knee injury during his side's opening match at the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament, dealing an early setback to Pakistan's campaign in the Maldives.

The injury occurred during Pakistan's scoreless draw against Bangladesh on Monday. Nabi was unable to continue after receiving treatment on the pitch and was later assessed by medical staff. Further examinations confirmed that the midfielder will not feature again in the competition.

The Pakistan Football Federation announced the development on Tuesday, confirming that Nabi had sustained a significant knee injury and would begin his rehabilitation process immediately.

"Pakistan midfielder Rahis Nabi sustained a significant knee injury during the team's opening match against Bangladesh and will unfortunately miss the remainder of the tournament," the PFF said in a statement.

"Following medical assessment, it has been confirmed that Rahis will be unavailable for the upcoming fixtures as he begins his recovery and rehabilitation process.

"Rahis has been an important part of the squad, and while his absence will be felt, the entire Pakistan football family stands firmly behind him during this period. We wish him a successful recovery and look forward to seeing him return to action as soon as possible.

"Everyone at Pakistan Football Federation sends their best wishes to Rahis for a full and speedy recovery."

Pakistan now face an important phase of the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament with two league matches remaining. The team will meet hosts Maldives on June 4 before taking on Afghanistan three days later.

The injury has forced Pakistan's coaching staff to reassess their midfield options ahead of those fixtures. Nabi had been expected to play a key role in the tournament, and his absence reduces the team's experience in the middle of the park.

Despite the setback, Pakistan remained in contention for a place in the final. The top two teams at the end of the league stage will advance to the championship match, which is scheduled to be played on June 10.

With qualification still within reach, Pakistan will look to build on their opening-point haul and keep their campaign on track without one of their regular midfielders.

Pakistan Squad For Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament

Goalkeepers: Saqib Hanif, Yousuf Butt and Hassan Ali.

Defenders: Abdullah Iqbal, Mohammad Fazal, Abdullah Shah, Easah Suliman, Mohib Afridi, Mamoon Moosa, Ali Niazi and Haris Zeb.

Midfielders: Adil Nabi, Alamgir Ghazi, Hayyan Khattak, Ali Agha and Otis Khan.

Forwards: Shayak Dost, Umer Nawaz, Ali Shah, Ali Khan, Samad Arshad and Harun Hamid.