Junaid impresses selectors with fitness
Gul fails to reach the mark; ‘unlikely’ to be part of World Cup squad
Junaid has bowled well on his comeback after being on the sidelines for several weeks due to a knee injury. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
As the January 7 deadline comes ever closer, time is running out for the players to make it into the final 15-man World Cup squad, and Junaid Khan has impressed the national selection committee in hopes of being named in the squad during the ongoing Pentangular Cup.
Junaid has bowled well on his comeback after being on the sidelines for several weeks due to a knee injury suffered in the UAE during the ODIs against Australia.
The 25-year-old has picked up seven wickets from three matches in the tournament so far – two each against Sindh Knights and Balochistan Warriors while three were taken against Federal United – while captaining K-P Fighters.
“The selection committee is really pleased by how well Junaid has bowled in the Pentangular Cup so far after overcoming a knee injury,” one of the national selectors told The Express Tribune. “There was never a question mark in context to his ability to perform, but we wanted to see his fitness levels right now and whether he would be able to survive the entire World Cup. By the look of things, he is in good shape and is bowling at a good pace.”
Junaid has represented Pakistan in 18 Tests, claiming 65 wickets, while he has bagged 75 scalps in 48 ODIs; now the selectors see him as a genuine threat in the bowling-friendly conditions of Australia and New Zealand.
The committee is keen to include the trio of left-arm pacers Muhammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz and Junaid, while the chances of Umar Gul playing at the mega event are now minimal after he failed to show his full fitness.
“To be honest, Gul hasn’t made an impression with his fitness and he is a much better bowler than what we’ve seen in this event. It is difficult to select a bowler who isn’t even 100% fit; he is unlikely to make the final cut.”
As the January 7 deadline comes ever closer, time is running out for the players to make it into the final 15-man World Cup squad, and Junaid Khan has impressed the national selection committee in hopes of being named in the squad during the ongoing Pentangular Cup.
Junaid has bowled well on his comeback after being on the sidelines for several weeks due to a knee injury suffered in the UAE during the ODIs against Australia.
The 25-year-old has picked up seven wickets from three matches in the tournament so far – two each against Sindh Knights and Balochistan Warriors while three were taken against Federal United – while captaining K-P Fighters.
“The selection committee is really pleased by how well Junaid has bowled in the Pentangular Cup so far after overcoming a knee injury,” one of the national selectors told The Express Tribune. “There was never a question mark in context to his ability to perform, but we wanted to see his fitness levels right now and whether he would be able to survive the entire World Cup. By the look of things, he is in good shape and is bowling at a good pace.”
Junaid has represented Pakistan in 18 Tests, claiming 65 wickets, while he has bagged 75 scalps in 48 ODIs; now the selectors see him as a genuine threat in the bowling-friendly conditions of Australia and New Zealand.
The committee is keen to include the trio of left-arm pacers Muhammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz and Junaid, while the chances of Umar Gul playing at the mega event are now minimal after he failed to show his full fitness.
“To be honest, Gul hasn’t made an impression with his fitness and he is a much better bowler than what we’ve seen in this event. It is difficult to select a bowler who isn’t even 100% fit; he is unlikely to make the final cut.”