LAHORE: Just hours before the departure of the national team for New Zealand to participate in a short two-match ODI series against New Zealand ahead of the February-March extravaganza, medium-pacer Bilawal Bhatti was inducted into the squad on Tuesday morning in place of fast bowler Junaid Khan who failed to recover from his hamstring injury.

Nonetheless, the replacement in Bilawal would be for four matches—two ODIs against New Zealand and two other practice matches ahead of the World Cup—with his induction into the World Cup squad depending on the young medium pacer’s performance as well as Junaid’s recovery from hamstring injury.

“Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar M. Khan has on the recommendation of chief selector Moin Khan approved replacing injured Junaid with Bilawal for the New Zealand tour,” the PCB said in a press release, adding: “The induction of Bilawal into the World Cup squad shall be contingent on his performance in the four scheduled matches in New Zealand as well as Junaid Khan’s recovery.”

“On re-examining Junaid’s condition, team Pakistan physiotherapist Brad Robinson and PCB’s head of Medical & Sports Sciences Dr. Sohail Saleem concurred that he had not recovered sufficiently from the traction injury of the nerve in the posterior right thigh and recommended recuperation at the NCA. Subsequently, the left-arm fast bowler was withdrawn from the New Zealand tour,” it further said.

On the other hand, the chief selector also linked Junaid’s induction into the side with his fitness, saying: “Junaid will join the World Cup squad, if he recovers.”

“Having come to know through Junaid’s injury report by team physio (Brad Robinson) suggesting the fast bowler won’t be able to travel to New Zealand due to his injury and will stay back for immediate rehabilitation under the supervision of Dr Sohail at the NCA, I discussed the issue with the PCB chairman and other Board officials concerned.

“The chairman considered and approved skipper Misbah-Ul-Haq’s request to include Bilawal in the squad under the condition that he would play all scheduled matches in New Zealand,” maintained the chief selector.

“The decision regarding Bilawal’s selection will be made by keeping in view his performance. It is, however, clear that if Junaid regains fitness, he will join the World Cup squad as announced on Jan 7, 2015,” remarked the former wicket-keeper.

Junaid’s failure to be inducted into the World Cup party is quite baffling particularly considering the fact that, as per initial PCB press release issued on Jan 16, the fast bowler’s MRI was clear and there was nothing to get worried about.

It is instructive to note that Junaid ran into the hamstring problem during the recently-concluded short four-day training camp made up and running at the Gaddafi Stadium from Jan 12 to 16. When the fast bowler was examined there was nothing serious as the first reports said: “Though Junaid is already feeling better, we have put him on local conservative management to help him travel to New Zealand as per plans without any problem.”

Also, Dr Sohail had said in the health bulletin on Junaid issued by PCB on Friday: “He was presented to us with pain in his right thigh and left elbow after he had a fall while bowling in the nets on Thursday. Pain in the right thigh was non-radiating and was confined to an area of 4x4 centimeters just below the hip. There was no discoloration or change in the temperature in the said area. On testing, damage to the hamstrings was suspected.

Dr Sohail further said: “In order to reach correct prognosis, he was put through MRI scan which came out to be normal.”

Injury-prone Junaid mostly remained out the team during 2014 due to his injury problems with his replacement in shape of Bilawal also not being able to have played too many games. Bilawal has played only eight ODIs taking just five wickets with his career-best 3-37 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2013.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2015

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