KARACHI: Pakistan cricket team management in Australia on Thursday called up 17-year-old left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar as cover for injured Yasir Shah for the upcoming Test series starting next week.

A brief press release issued by the PCB clearly stated that the team management has asked the selectors to send 17-year-old Asghar for the Tests.

This is what the PCB press release states: “Following back injury to Yasir Shah, the team management had asked the selection committee to call Mohammad Asghar as a backup player for the three-Test match series against Australia commencing from December 15, 2016 in Brisbane.

“The national selection committee has concurred with this request and the PCB chairman has approved the name of Mohammad Asghar who will join the team as 17th member,” it further said.

Although Yasir was ruled out from the ongoing three-day warm-up match against Cricket Australia XI, he was not dropped from the first Test, as per the initial reports. But the PCB’s decision shows that it is quite inclined towards the team management.

On the other hand, Dawn has learnt that the PCB had been suggesting Inzamam-ul-Haq-led selection committee to pick up Asghar in the Australia-bound team but the selectors announced an unchanged team, keeping the same one which lost the two-match Test series in New Zealand.

Asghar is an upcoming left-arm spin bowler who has taken 68 wickets at the average of 26.61 in 17 first-class matches. Besides, the young left-arm spinner has played 27 domestic one-day matches capturing 47 wickets at the average of 25.27 in addition to 47 wickets which he took in domestic T20s averaging 25.27.

AFP adds: Asghar has been on selector’s radar for the past year. He became an instant hit on social media in February for his humorous post-match comments during the inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL). Asked how he held onto a difficult catch, Asghar replied: “I am Pashtun and we have big hands. There was no way I was going to drop those catches.”

Asghar was staying in a Karachi hotel that caught fire on Monday, killing 12 people and injuring 75.

“Asghar is very lucky as he survived the fire by a mere five minutes,” his manager and coach Nadeem Khan, a former Pakistan spinner said. Several fellow United Bank players received minor injuries.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2016