Karachi: Experienced pacer Umar Gul will return home from the United Arab Emirates after being released by the team management, Pakistan Cricket Board said today.
Gul, who had a knee operation in May in Melbourne, was recalled to the national side for the last three ODIs against Sri Lanka last month. He took six wickets in two matches but appeared to struggle in the last match.
But surprisingly, the team management decided to retain him for the ongoing three match Test series against Sri Lanka in the UAE despite question marks over his fitness.
The Board today announced that the team management after consulting the team physio Dale Naylor, who treated Gul for one week, decided to release him. Naylor had recommended Gul for further training at the National Cricket Academy.
"Accordingly, Umar Gul is returning to Pakistan and has been advised to participate in domestic cricket to regain Test match fitness," a Board release said.
Pakistan's former fast bowler and captain Waqar Younis had strongly criticised the decision to retain Gul in the Test squad, saying that he was not fit enough for a Test comeback.
Waqar had also expressed surprise that instead of sending Gul back to Pakistan and making him play domestic matches, the Board had decided to keep him with the team for a rehabilitation process.
The Board has also sent tall left-arm pacer Muhammad Irfan to UAE to be with the team to continue his rehabilitation process under the supervision of Naylor and doctor Faisal.
Irfan had suffered a hip injury during the series against South Africa in the UAE last October and has been out of action since then.
Sources said Irfan had made good recovery from his injury and could even be considered to play a Test in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka if the need arises, though he has not been named in the Test squad.
PCB awaits govt clearance for Asia Cup, ICC World T20
PCB awaits govt clearance for Asia Cup, ICC World T20
Karachi: Pakistan cricket team's participation in the upcoming Asia Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 events in Bangladesh will depend on the central government's approval, PCB's interim management committee today said.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the all-powerful committee here.
Though the PCB released a very carefully worded statement on the meeting, but insiders told PTI that all the members were unanimous in their decision that no risk should be taken on sending the team to the two events in Bangladesh, which is in political and security turmoil.
The protesters in Bangladesh have targeted Pakistani nationals living there, calling for a ban on goods from the country and also to sever diplomatic ties with their neighbours.
"The interim management committee (IMC) was given a detailed update on the Asia Cup and the ICC WT20 in Bangladesh. The committee deliberated on the current political situation in Bangladesh, particularly with regard to the protests against Pakistan and agreed to consult ICC and ACC in this matter and to also hold discussions with the government," the PCB statement said.
The IMC, which was consituted by the Prime Minister to run cricket affairs in Pakistan, met under the chairmanship of Najam Sethi and was attended by members Shaharyar Khan, Naveed Akram Cheema, Zaheer Abbas, Haroon Rashid and Subhan Ahmad (Chief Operating Officer, PCB).
"Zaheer, Shaharyar, Haroon and Cheema, who are senior members of the committee, said that the board should only send the team to Bangladesh once they get full security assurance from the Asian Cricket Council and the ICC," a source said.
"It was also decided that the government's advice shall be sought on the matter and a decision regarding the cricket team's participation shall only be taken after that," the source added.
He said Sethi briefed the members that the ICC and ACC were monitoring the situation in Bangladesh and would decide on alternate venues later this month.
"Sethi said the ICC executive board is due to meet on January 25th in which a decision on whether to hold the World T20 in Bangladesh or shift it to other venue would be taken," he said.
