Hip injury forces lanky Pakistan pacer Irfan out of Asia Cup, World T20 in Bangladesh
Karachi: Pakistan's tall left arm pacer Muhammad Irfan was ruled out of the Asia Cup and ICC World T20 Cup tournaments today but Pakistani selectors have recalled the experienced duo of Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik for the world event.
Irfan sustained a hip injury while fielding during the ongoing national T20 championship in Rawalpindi and was ruled out of both events as he has been advised at least two to three months rest.
The selectors, however, have reposed faith once again in Malik and Kamran who are in the World T20 squad but not in the line up for the Asia Cup.
Both the major events are being held in Bangladesh from February 26 onwards and the Pakistan government has cleared the participation of the national side in both tournaments after initial concerns over the security situation.
Irfan, one of Pakistan's premier bowlers, has been out of action from international cricket since November when he suffered a hip fracture while playing the last T20 international against South Africa in Dubai.
He made a comeback in domestic cricket for a few games before sustaining the same injury while fielding once again. But fortune smiled on fellow pacer, the experienced Umar Gul who has been given fitness clearance to be included in both squads. Gul's fitness was also under a shadow of doubt after he had to return home from the test series against Sri Lanka in the UAE but the selectors have been told by the PCB medical panel that he has made a full recovery from his knee surgery that he had last year. The selectors have also recalled left-handed batsman, Fawad Alam in the one-day squad. The Pakistani selectors have reposed faith in a blend of experience and youth under new head coach Moin Khan. A source in the Pakistan Cricket Board said Moin, and captains Misbah-ul-Haq (who leads the ODI squad) and Muhammad Hafeez (T20) had been actively involved in the selection process after the acting chief selector, Azhar Khan and his fellow selectors met with them in Rawalpindi over the past 24 hours. A training camp will be held at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore from 18th till February 21.
