Seamer Mohammad Abbas has been all but ruled out of Pakistan’s third and final Test against New Zealand.

Abbas will likely be sidelined by a shoulder injury, which was sustained during the second Test.

The 28-year-old Abbas took only two wickets in the ongoing series in the United Arab Emirates, but boasts 61 in just a dozen Tests since April 2017’s debut.

New Zealand won the first Test by four runs in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan won the second in Dubai by an innings and 16 runs. The third will start in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

The injury, too, might keep him out of the tour of South Africa later this year. The Proteas and Pakistan will meet for three Tests in Centurion, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur, meanwhile, has heaped plenty of praise on leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

Shah clinched a record 14 wickets in the second Test victory over the Kiwis. He completed telling figures of eight for 41 in the first innings and six for 143 in the second.

‘We knew he had a big performance inside him. That first innings, I think there was a spell of about half an hour of the best leg-spin bowling you will ever see. Fourteen wickets in a Test match is superb,’ said Arthur.

‘Yasir is very comfortable mentally, and he knows what an important cog he is in our Test lineup. He got his rhythm going and we felt he was really good.’

Shah’s performance saw him move into the top 10 of the International Cricket Council’s rankings for Test bowlers, from 19th position to 10th.

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