All-rounder Shadab Khan has said that players were being injured due to workload—a concern many experts have shown over star players’ inclusion in every series.

“It does not matter if you lose a match,” he told reporters in Lahore on Sunday. “This team has gone to Australia to win the series, not just a match.”

Many key players of the Pakistan cricket team have been injured in the recent past, missing out on big tournaments where Men in Green struggled to give a good performance.

Shadab himself has been ruled out of the five-match T20I New Zealand series, which would begin on January 12, due to the ankle injury. But he shared that he would be fit by first week of January.

The national side’s injury woes increased on Saturday after the cricket board said that spinner Abrar Ahmed would not be available for the second Australia Test. The off-spinner missed their 360-run defeat in Perth with leg discomfort.

It follows fellow spinner Noman Ali being hospitalised with acute appendicitis and ruled out of the rest of the three-match series. Pakistan’s pace battery is operating without Naseem Shah and Ihsanullah as the two fast bowlers have been ruled out due to injuries.

Pakistan lost to Australia in the opening first Test at Perth by 360 runs. Pakistan’s unlikely bid to win their first Test in Australia since 1995 was left in tatters by the spin king and the home side’s formidable pace attack, who wrapped up the game inside four days.

Despite shortcomings, Shadab was hopeful of the team’s performance in the next two matches. He was of the view that Melbourne and Sydney wickets suit Pakistan.

He praised Shaheen Shah Afridi for giving good performances over the years. Last week, commentator Ravi Shastri stated that the right-arm fast bowler was under pressure to spearhead the pace attack.

The spinner said that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were his friends.