LAHORE, June 27: Medical experts of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) conducted a series of physical fitness tests of eight players for national team selection for the forthcoming West Indies tour here at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Thursday.

The tour is scheduled to start from July 7 featuring a three-match One-day International series besides a two-match Twenty20 series.

Among the eight cricketers who appeared in the tests on Thursday, only two — opener Nasir Jamshed and lanky fast bowler Mohammad Irfan — were part of the national team which featured in the recently concluded eight-nation Champions Trophy where Pakistan ended at a pathetic eighth position. Sources said national team’s head coach Dav Whatmore had recommended the two players for the fitness tests.

The other cricketers who underwent the fitness tests on Thursday included Haris Sohail, Sohaib Maqsood, Raza Hasan, Zulfiqar Babar, Usman Qadir and Sharjeel Khan.

According to a PCB spokesman, these players underwent various physical tests including flexibility (sit and reach), explosive power (vertical jump), upper body strength (push-ups), core stability (prone bridging and lateral bridging), speed & agility followed by cardiovascular test.

Sohaib, an opener, whose fitness seems doubtful, since his tendon muscle had been damaged some two years back. Sources said though Sohaib still plays domestic cricket, his tendon problem does not allow him to stand and field comfortably. Haris, it is believed, has also developed some fitness problem and later he left for England.

Unfortunately, on several occasions in the past half-fit players somehow succeeded in getting clearance in fitness tests to make themselves available for selection in national team. Afterwards however they would break down during the contests which affected the team’s cause badly.

Opener Ahmed Shahzad and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan, both likely to be selected for the West Indies tour, however, were not called for the tests. The sources said Ahmed had topped the fitness test conducted a month ago, therefore, he was not summoned.

The absence of Rizwan at the fitness tests — who is most likely to get a chance in place of Kamran Akmal — was a bit surprising.

The team for the West Indies tour is likely to be named by July 2.