No sportsperson would want to take the call from Saqib.
An injury to England's seamers is the fast bowler's nightmare.
Two months ago, he was ruled out for the season after impressing on his England debut.
He says he got off the phone and cried for a while.
The drive home was where you thought about all the things.
Over the next few months, a series of articles will be written about Mahmood's comeback. The first part of his story is here.
He spoke a week after his diagnosis. The 25-year-old has lost his enthusiasm since.
He can only do one exercise at a time, and that is walking or bending down to pick up a bowl.
In April, Mahmood made his first County Championship appearance of the season and took 4-90 across 45 overs as his side claimed aninning victory.
The weather and early season rustiness made the back stiff.
The reality was not as good.
The bowler wanted to prove his fitness for the upcoming Roses match against Yorkshire and the England Test squad. He was cleared by the doctors.
The scanned was reexamined.
Then came the call from the doctor of England, while he was watching his team play.
When you hear the words 'I am afraid it is bad news', it's the worst part.
You try to remain calm. I cried my eyes out when I sat in the dining room alone after putting the phone down.
After packing his bag, Mahmood hugged the person he was hugging. Before he left, he spoke to no one.
He says everything goes through your head. I was thinking about when I would be able to play again, whether I would be the same bowler or not.
I called my father. He didn't believe me when I said I was calling my brother.
Family is affected by injuries as well.
When I got home, I told my mom. She didn't say anything.
When she leaves it makes me leave.
I watched the game on the live stream and saw her in the garden, just sitting on her own.
The beginning of a recovery that is expected to take at least six months was the lowest moment so far, according to Mahmood.
He did not want to talk to anyone. He had trouble eating.
I did not want to stay at my house. I wanted to get away from it all because the news was on the phone.
On the day his injury was announced, Mahmood spent the day with one of his best friends in cricket, one of his team mates, and one of the most popular websites in the world.
He wasn't there when we were trying to talk. My head was not where I wanted it to be.
You can't switch off my phone, it's always buzzing. I left my phone in his kitchen.
The injury has a smaller impact on Mahmood than it did. There are no sharp pains anymore.
There is more to the story.
In early July, Mahmood said that he was very bored. It is becoming more and more frustrating.
It takes a long time to recover from stress fracture. For the first eight weeks, Mahmood can't run, lift heavy items or bowl. He cannot lie on his back.
He says in June that he went to buy some paint.
I was going to carry 5 cans of paint. I thought I would take them all to the car. I was able to get there and told myself to hang on.
I told my brother that he would have to take them inside.
I don't want to risk anything to get this started. The stress fracture needs to heal before anything can be done.
It is going to make that recovery longer because I could go out and party and do everything.
It's a big change for a sports person who used to work out in the field.
In June, he said he wanted to bowl more and more every day, but for now he is watching Peaky Blinders and The Boys.
He used the break to get laser eye surgery after he was disappointed with his team's performance in the European Championship.
Other changes are also present.
When I look in the mirror after a shower, I am starting to lose my definition.
He says he has had a variety of beverages. I have eaten whatever I wanted.
I didn't feel like I needed to eat for a few days after the scans. It was the worst thing I could have done.
In the last few weeks, he has set out a regime with a nutrition expert.
It gives you a bit of motivation when you see the end goal.
The goal for Mahmood is to get back into the England team.
If he was fit, he would almost certainly have been in England's plans for the first Test of the summer against New Zealand in early June.
He didn't watch the first Test of England's red ball revolution from the inside.
After a day, he turned off.
He says the first day against New Zealand was the first time he realized he should have been involved.
It was the reality that made me miss out on all of this.
It was nice to see England win but it was different to how it used to be.
The public has been gripped by the ball. The duty to watch was felt by Mahmood as England ran after the runs.
He says that he has to because of how different the game is. I have to keep an eye on it.
When you get back to fitness, you make a note in your head of what you need to do.
Making notes is more important than the real thing right now. He will be able to start on the long rehabilitation road if all goes well.
There is more to come.
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