August 07, 2006	Monday	Rajab 11, 1427

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KARACHI, Aug 6: National selectors have asked all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez to reinforce the injury-hit Pakistan team in England in time for the fourth and final Test at The Oval.

Wasim Bari, chairman of selectors, said on Sunday that Hafeez and the fit-again fast bowler Mohammad Asif will leave for London on the first available flight.

“The team management in England has requested for Hafeez and Asif to join the team as soon as possible so they are tried out in a two-day game against West Indies ‘A’,” Bari said.

The match against West Indies ‘A’, which starts on Saturday at the Denis Compton Oval in Shenley, is Pakistan’s last before the final Test begins on Aug 17.

Hafeez was one of the young players that Pakistan turned to immediately after an abysmal World Cup campaign in southern Africa in 2003.

But after a promising beginning, the 25-year-old from Sargodha faded away from the international scene after playing the last of his 30 One-day Internationals, against India at Visakhapatnam in April 2005.

Hafeez has also played in three Tests — all against Bangladesh in 2003 — before he was axed.

However, a string of impressive performances with the Pakistan ‘A’ squad notably during the Top End series in Australia last month, forced the selectors to recall Hafeez at a time when Pakistan have tried three different pairs in the current series without much success.

Asif, who has claimed 25 wickets in five Tests, returned home before the opening Test at Lord's with an elbow injury.

The talented bowler passed a fitness test on Friday before a PCB medical panel.

Pakistan received a further boost on Saturday when strike bowler Shoaib Akhtar made an encouraging return to active cricket after a long layoff because of an ankle injury.

The Rawalpindi Express, who has not played since the Karachi Test against India six months ago, took two wickets and hit a 31-ball 57 for Berkswell, a village club team in the English West Midlands.

Shoaib, who has taken 165 wickets in 42 Tests and another 199 in 129 One-day Internationals, is likely to share the new ball with Asif in The Oval Test.

Meanwhile, Bari said the squad for the five-match one-day series against England will be named before the final Test.

He further added that Pakistan’s probable list of 25 players for next year’s World Cup will also be announced before the ICC deadline of Aug 30.