Shafiq, Irfan named replacements in squad

PCB has named Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Irfan as replacement for the five-match ODI series against England.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Irfan as replacement for the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series against England following calls for reinforcements in the wake of the spot-fixing allegations.

The named duo are currently in Sri Lanka representing Pakistan ‘A’ in the tri-series that it crashed out of on Thursday following three defeats in four matches.

“The players have been asked to join the team in England by next week,” said a PCB official.

Asad, the Karachi-based batsman who was the highest run-scorer in the domestic season last year, scored a century against Sri Lanka A in Pakistan’s final match of the tournament. Irfan, who stands nearly seven-foot tall, has impressed with his pace that yielded him a Kolkata Knight Rider contract for the forthcoming IPL season. He was also named as a replacement in the 2010 World Twenty20 squad but was pulled out a day later by the PCB chairman.

Afridi welcomes youngsters’ inclusion

Pakistan’s ODI and T20 captain Shahid Afridi has welcomed the inclusion of the duo saying they are capable of lifting the depleted side.

“They’re young and talented and I’m happy to have them in team,” Afridi told The Express Tribune. “It’s very important to include youngsters because that’s how you find new talent.”

The two T20s will be played on September 5 and 7 in Cardiff while the five-match ODI
series will start from September 10.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2010.