DUBAI: Islamabad United will be battling out their remaining fixtures of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) without regular captain Misbah-ul- Haq who has been ruled out by a hairline fracture on his wrist.

The former Pakistan skipper will be out for four weeks after being hit by a bouncer from left-arm fast bowler Tymal Mills during the final league-round match against Karachi Kings in Sharjah on Friday.

JP Duminy took over the leadership for the qualifier against Karachi which was in progress at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium at the time of filing this report, with Sahibzada Farhan replacing injured Misbah.

Islamabad earlier lost the services of their appointed vice-captain Rumman Raees after the Pakistan seamer sustained a serious knee injury while fielding against Quetta Gladiators in Sharjah on Feb 28 and is currently recuperating in Karachi.

Misbah, who played eight matches and batted only four times in this PSL with a best score of 22, was present at the stadium during Sunday’s qualifier.

Moreover, Islamabad are also without Andre Russell after the West Indies all-rounder who pulled his right hamstring during team’s crushing victory against Karachi in Sharjah on March 4.

Russell had returned to competitive cricket at the PSL after completing a year-long ban in January for a doping violation.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2018