good news for Pak fans. Shabbir is playing as are Kaneria and Kamran. good start for us.
**Kamran, Kaneria set to play today as injured Moin misses out **
From our correspondent
LAHORE: Pakistan’s veteran wicketkeeper Moin Khan has been ruled out of the second Test against India with a groin injury and said he would make a comeback for the third match in Rawalpindi.
“It is very disappointing to sit out like this. But I had no choice because the groin is giving me lot of problem and pain and I would not have lasted five days.”
“I will be undergoing more tests on Monday after which I would know how serious the injury really is,” Moin stated. The veteran of 68 Tests and 205 One-day Internationals had only made a comeback to the Pakistan team last year against South Africa in the Test series after spending time on the sidelines since April 2001.
**His replacement, young Kamran Akmal was all smiles at his God send opportunity to cement his place in the team and stated he was not feeling nervous or any pressure as he had been regularly playing domestic cricket.
“I have been in good form in the domestic matches for National Bank and Lahore and hopefully I will carry that form in this Test match also.” Kamran said he was happy to get the breakthrough to play for Pakistan against India. “Playing against India has always been my dream. It is finally coming true,” he added.**
Kamran is not stranger to international cricket, having played four Test matches and eight one-dayers in Zimbabwe and South Africa in 2002-2003 when Rashid Latif was injured and his last appearance was against Bangladesh in the five-match one-day series last September when Rashid was banned by the International Cricket Council.
Kamran said he had concentrated and worked very hard on improving his keeping behind the stumps, more than his batting.
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq said that Moin would remain with the team until the third Test in Rawalpindi.
Team sources said that the team management had decided against changing the opening pair of Taufeeq Umar and Imran Farhat who had two century partnerships against South Africa at this very ground last October.
“The only changes would be Danish Kaneria replacing Saqlain Mushtaq and perhaps Asim Kamal playing in place of Abdul Razzaq,” a source said added that Shabbir Ahmed had also made a good recovery from his shin problem.
But he made it clear that no final decision has been taken on dropping Razzaq because the team management had in mind that he could be prove to be an effective fourth seamer on a green wicket.
