LAHORE: Another change on Monday was made to Pakistan’s national ODI squad for the forthcoming ODI series in Australia when fast bowler Junaid Khan was included in place of lanky pacer Mohammad Irfan who returned home after his mother passed away.

Last Saturday, seasoned all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez was added to the national ODI squad as the 16th player on the request of the team management.

“Following Mohammad Irfan’s return to Pakistan due to his mother’s death, chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq after consulting the team management has named fast bowler Junaid Khan as Irfan’s replacement for the five-match ODI series against Australia commencing on Jan 13,” a PCB press release stated.

Junaid, 27, has been recalled to the national squad after almost 20 months during which the left-armer was injured twice.

Later, the selectors had started ignoring him which frustrated Junaid to the extent that once he announced to take an extreme decision of playing for England.

Junaid last played an ODI for Pakistan in May last year against Zimbabwe at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Though holding a fairly decent record in ODIs (52 matches, 78 wickets, average 27.52), Junaid’s performance in the recently concluded National One-day Cup for Departments was not impressive. Playing for Wapda, he took just six wickets in seven matches of the event while giving away 264 runs, earning him a below-par average of 44.00.

However, representing Peshawar he lifted his game in the ongoing National One-day Cup for Regions and to took a good start (4-31 against Fata in Rawalpindi on Sunday) to the tournament.

Prior to the One-day Cup for Departments, Junaid claimed 20 wickets in 14 matches at the Bangladesh Premier League T20 competition where the pacer played for Khulna Titans.

The first of the five one-dayers Down Under will be played in Brisbane on Friday followed by Melbourne (Jan 15), Perth (Jan 19), Sydney (Jan 22) and Adelaide (Jan 26).

APP adds:

PCB chief Shaharyar Khan, executive committee chairman Najam Sethi and chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed have offered their heartfelt condolences to Test fast bowler Mohammad Irfan on the sad demise of his mother.

“The entire PCB family expresses their deepest sympathies to Mohammad Irfan on this sad occasion. May the departed soul rest in eternal peace and grant the family and the dear ones the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” said a PCB spokesman on Monday.

Published in Dawn January 10th, 2017