Injured Junaid to miss NZ ODIs, in doubt for World Cup
- A hamstring injury suffered in a camp in Lahore has ruled Junaid Khan out of Pakistan's two-ODI series against New Zealand.
- Bilawal Bhatti has been named as his replacement in the 15-man squad.
- If Junaid fails to regain full fitness, Bhatti will replace him in the World Cup as well.
Pakistan fast bowler Junaid Khan has been ruled out of the two-match ODI series against New Zealand and has been replaced by allrounder Bilawal Bhatti in the squad. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board, the 25-year-old suffered a hamstring injury during a short conditioning camp ahead of the World Cup in Lahore last week. Junaid will not leave with the team on Tuesday night to New Zealand, where Pakistan play two ODIs against the co-hosts.
The PCB said that Junaid had still not made a full recovery from the hamstring injury he picked up during the camp and will not be leaving with the team on Tuesday night. "Junaid has been replaced by Bilawal who will be playing the two one-day internationals in New Zealand and two warm-up games prior to the World Cup," a board official told PTI. "If Junaid recovers fitness, he will join the World Cup squad," Pakistan's chief selector Moin Khan said.
Junaid complained of pain in the right thigh and elbow after a fall during the conditioning camp on January 15. "On re-examining Junaid's condition, Pakistan's physiotherapist Brad Robinson and PCB's head of medical and sports sciences Dr Sohail Saleem concurred that he had not recovered sufficiently from the traction injury of the nerve in the posterior right thigh and recommended recuperation at the NCA," the PCB was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "Subsequently the left-arm fast bowler was withdrawn from the New Zealand tour."
If Junaid fails to regain full fitness for the World Cup, Bhatti could replace him in the final 15-man squad. "The chairman (Shaharyar Khan) has considered and approved the request of the skipper Misbah-ul-Haq to include Bilawal Bhatti in the team under the condition that Bilawal Bhatti will play all scheduled matches in New Zealand," Moin said. "The decision for his selection will be considered in accordance with his performance as to whether he may continue or be replaced. It is, however, clarified that if Junaid Khan regains fitness, he will join the World Cup squad as announced on January 7, 2015."
Junaid made a successful return to domestic cricket in the recent five-team one-day tournament earlier this year after being out of action since last September when he hurt his knee in a practice session prior to the ODI series against Australia. Junaid's 23-year-old replacement Bilawal has played just two Tests and eight one-day internationals and was ignored for the final 15-member World Cup squad.
There are question marks over fitness of other Pakistan players ahead of the mega event, including captain Misbah-ul-Haq which could mean that the selectors might look to announce a few more replacements in the squad. Pakistan play two ODIs in New Zealand on January 31 in Wellington and February 3 in Napier. They play two World Cup warm-up games on February 9 against Bangladesh and February 11 against England, both in Sydney. Pakistan open their campaign against India on February 15 at the Adelaide Oval.
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