March 01, 2007	Thursday	Safar 11, 1428

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LAHORE, Feb 28: The decision to replace injured all-rounder Abdul Razzaq with Azhar Mahmood in the World Cup squad on Tuesday was made in haste and remains shrouded in mystery after it was revealed that the chairman national selection committee was bypassed, Dawn learnt on Wednesday.

Razzaq, after sustaining a knee injury on Monday, had his medical tests conducted the next day (Tuesday) but as the reports on the test were still awaited the same evening, Azhar was suddenly given the green signal to join the Cup squad as replacement at around 1.00pm.

What’s more surprising is the fact that chief selector Wasim Bari was on his way to Karachi from Dubai at the time when the replacement player’s name was announced.

According to PCB sources, Bari was to consult fellow selectors Iqbal Qasim and Ehtesham-ud-Din on the issue but the former captain was taken by surprise as he landed at Karachi airport in the afternoon since the replacement had already been made.

According to a PCB press release, "Razzaq sustained a knee injury during training camp and initial assessment of the injury revealed partial ligament tear and bone bruising. Razzaq's knee was subsequently put in plaster for three weeks and it was decided that the injury would be reassessed after that.”

But while the PCB press release claims that Razzaq sustained the injury after a ball struck his knee during the training camp, a renowned medical expert on the condition of anonymity told Dawn that there was no way a ball could cause torn ligaments or bruising of bone and such kind of injury could result in a person falling on his full weight on a firm surface.

Dawn further learnt that the medical reports were not given to Razzaq at any stage.

Meanwhile, previous instances prove that it is not the first time when the selection committee has been bypassed in crucial decisions which highlights the fact that selectors are no more than mere puppets in the whole scenario.

Just recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf made the arbitrary decision of sending Shoaib Akhtar to South Africa last month without even bothering to consult Bari.

The chief selector was still in negotiations with Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer in South Africa to finalise a replacement for injured Umar Gul when the PCB chief, after having watched Shoaib bowling in a Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Silver League match against Abbottabad, announced there and then that he would go to South Africa.

As for Azhar Mahmood, his inclusion in World Cup squad was the best gift he could receive on his 32nd birthday which he celebrated on Wednesday.

In the last World Cup held in 2003, Azhar's inclusion was also made only 15 minutes before the final squad was announced.