Arthur: Yasir Shah likely fit for 1st test

Published Dec. 11, 2016 11:33 p.m. ET

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) Pakistan cricket coach Mickey Arthur says leg-spinner Yasir Shah should be fit to play in the day-night first test against Australia at Brisbane from Thursday.

Yasir missed Pakistan's warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI because of a back injury but Arthur said he ''seemed fine'' and was likely to play.

He said ''you don't want to deprive the Australian public the chance to see an unbelievable leg-spinner go about his business.''

Arthur said Yasir, who has takent 116 wickets in only 20 tests, was integral to Pakistan's plans for the test at the Gabba ground.

Yasir made his test debut against Australia in the United Arab Emirates in 2014 and took 12 wickets in the series at an average of 17.25 to propel Pakistan to a 2-0 win.