SWABI: The unfortunate ouster of Pakistan’s left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan from the World Cup due to a hamstring injury makes him one of the unluckiest cricketers never to have featured in a World Cup.

While the Swabi-born pacer’s injury has come as a huge blow to Pakistan’s chances in the upcoming World Cup, being hosted by Australia and New Zealand from Feb 14, few would remember today that Junaid was also called up to replace injured Sohail Tanvir on the eve of 2011 World Cup squad but was not selected to play a single match during the mega event at the time.

Besides millions of Pakistani fans, Junaid’s injury has left his friend and colleagues in Swabi greatly dejected.

Distinguished cricketers here along with former member of PCB governing board Aamir Nawab expressed their dismay at Junaid’s bad luck at the World Cups and prayed for his early recovery from the injury.

“I don’t know why he could not get a chance to play a single match in that mega event in 2011, but this time, it has been sheer bad luck that Junaid got injured ahead of the all-important event,” lamented Aamir.

Aamir recalled that back in 2011 Junaid was given an opportunity to play just a single warm-up match in Dhaka against England where he impressed with his bowling and got a World Cup call.

“Though Pakistan lost that match, Junaid displayed his remarkable bowling skills by grabbing three vital wickets,” Aamir recalled.

“He was busy practicing at the Gauhati Cricket Stadium when then coach and chief selector Mohsin Khan contacted him on his cellphone and informed him that he (Junaid) has been selected to be part of the Pakistan World Cup 2011 squad. Soon he joined the team.”

When Junaid was close to recovering from a knee injury some two months back, he told this correspondent at a guest house here that his entire focus and preparation is for the World Cup now and he wants to excel in the mega event.

“I want to play a key role in the World Cup, fulfilling the wishes and expectations of my fans and the entire nation,” he had said.

Meanwhile, the members of District Cricket Association (DCA) and various cricket academies gave their views about the impact of Junaid’s ouster from the national squad.

“I knew that he (Junaid ) had made tremendous preparations for the World Cup and Pakistan team needed his services more than ever. But unluckily he could not get fit in time,” said Shamsul Qamar, the president of DCA here.

Liaqat Yousufzai, president of Junaid Khan Cricket Academy, said that in the absence of Pakistan’s key bowlers Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal, Pakistan had pinned lot of hopes on Junaid but his injury was really unfortunate.

“I was so upset by Junaid’s ouster that I do not want to watch a single match of the World Cup,” said Qayum Khan of Maneri Payyan while speaking to Dawn.

Published in Dawn February 5th , 2015

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