By India Today Sports Desk: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that Mohammad Rizwan has replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed as a concussion substitute in the ongoing second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Singhalese Sports Club.
According to the PCB, match referee David Boon granted the team management’s request for a substitution. Asitha Fernando hit Sarfaraz in the head while he was ducking a bouncer in the afternoon session on day three. He scored 22 runs before being injured and had to retire.
The PCB’s medical panel is still monitoring him, according to the board. A Concussion Replacement may be permitted under International Cricket Council (ICC) rules if a player suffers a concussion as a result of a head or neck injury during a match. However, the head or neck injury must have occurred during play and within the playing area, and the team must have properly diagnosed a concussion.
If the circumstances listed above are met, the medical representative or team manager must file a Concussion Replacement request to the ICC Match Referee. The desired Concussion Replacement should be a like-for-like replacement for the concussed player. If the Concussion Replacement Request is to be approved, it must be submitted within 36 hours of the incident.
Pakistan had scored 358 for 4 in their first innings and had a 192-run lead thanks to a stunning century by Abdullah Shafique, who was batting on 167 when this report was filed.
Shafique began the day on 87 and smashed two consecutive boundaries off fast bowler Asitha Fernando before reaching his century with a single and a standing ovation from the dressing room.
Azam improved from his overnight 28 to 39 before being called lbw, and the judgment was maintained following review by the third umpire. Jayasuriya, who bowled an unchanged stint throughout the morning for figures of 1-95, dismissed Azam for the sixth time in Test cricket.
Shafique stood steady with left-handed Shakeel, who made his maiden Test double century in Pakistan’s two-match series opener.
