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With Pakistan’s Davis Cup tie scheduled for early next month, the team’s chances of progressing were dealt a blow as Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi pulled out with fears of aggravating a knee condition.
Pakistan are set to play their Asia-Oceania Group-II tie against Philippines in Manila from April 6 to 8 and Qureshi reportedly feared he could sustain a chronic knee injury if he played in the hot and humid conditions.
Qureshi’s Davis Cup partner and national number one Aqeel Khan fears Pakistan’s bid to win the tie could turn into an impossible task without their most experienced player.
“Playing in adverse conditions in an away tie is always difficult and playing in the tie against Philippines in their own backyard without Aisam would mean that the remote chance of Pakistan winning in the event would completely be diminished,” Aqeel said.
Aqeel’s younger brother, Jalil Khan, has been named as Qureshi’s replaced by the Pakistan Tennis Federation.
While Aqeel has promised to make his best attempts to win the tie, he believes the added disadvantage of not hosting the tie would also go against Pakistan.
The two giants of Pakistan tennis, Aqeel and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi helped Pakistan defeat Lebanon in Beirut by 3-2 in a thrilling Davis Cup tie in February, after the ‘home’ tie was shifted away as the International Tennis Federation feared for the players’ security in Pakistan.
Qureshi had reportedly decided to pull out of the event due to fears of sustaining an injury in the extremely humid conditions of Manila.
The PTF, however, denied these reports and added that Qureshi will be included in the Davis Cup squad. Qureshi has finally decided to exclude himself from the squad after having protested against the shifting of the tie but to no avail.
Pakistan last played its Davis Cup tie at home in 2005. - PPI Files
