Pakistan’s Junaid Khan and Saeed Ajmal will report late to the Test team’s training camp for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, which will begin on July 17 in Lahore.
Both cricketers are currently playing in England; Junaid is representing Lancashire, while Ajmal is fulfilling his duties with Worcestershire.
Junaid has been tremendous in the T20 format, picking up 17 scalps in nine outings as he continues to deliver match winning performances, whereas Ajmal has taken County Division-II by storm, bagging 60 wickets from nine games, leading Worcestershire to the top of the table.
Left-arm pacer Junaid, who recently got engaged, is expected to return on July 20 while Ajmal will head back as soon as his county’s ongoing match ends.
When the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials were contacted about the return of the two players, it was confirmed that they would be joining the camp at a later date.
“Both Junaid and Ajmal will join training after a delay of three to four days because they are busy playing in England,” a PCB official told The Express Tribune.
“The rest of the players have been asked to report on July 17 and they will stay in Lahore till July 26.”
The Pakistan Test squad comprises Ahmed Shehzad, Khurram Manzoor, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Younus Khan, Misbahul Haq (captain), Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed, Abdur Rehman, Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali and Wahab Riaz.
The team will practice from July 18-21 in two sessions; net practice will be held from 4pm-6.30 pm after which the players will undergo training during the night from 11pm-12.30 am. They will be given a day’s rest on July 22 before resuming the camp with practice matches.
From July 23-25, the squad will be asked to play in different match scenarios before the camp concludes on July 26 after a detailed meeting regarding strategies with head coach Waqar Younis and manager-chief Selector Moin Khan.
The remaining team management for the tour has also been announced; it includes Mushtaq Ahmed (spin-bowling coach), Grant Flower (batting coach), Grant Luden (fielding coach cum trainer), Major (retd) Azhar Arif (security manager), Muhammad Talha Butt (analyst), Usman Ghani (physiotherapist), Shahid Aslam (assistant to the head coach) and Muhammad Imran (masseur).
Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2014.
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