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Junaid Khan suffered a hamstring injury during Pakistan’s training session at the Gaddafi Stadium. — File
Pakistan’s left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan was ruled out of the upcoming World Cup after failing to pass his fitness test, he said Monday.
Junaid suffered a hamstring injury in his right leg after he slipped and fell while bowling during the third day of the national training camp at the Gaddafi Stadium before Pakistan’s departure for New Zealand.
Junaid was one of the senior bowlers in Pakistan’s pace attack, which includes Moham*mad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, and up-and-coming Ehsan Adil.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t pass the fitness test. But perhaps this was God’s will. My prayers are with the Pakistan team,” Junaid tweeted.
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The development comes as a big blow to Pakistan who are already without the services of the suspended Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez and the injured Umar Gul for the World Cup.
Bilawal Bhatti, who replaced Junaid for Pakistan’s two-match series against New Zealand, is expected to fill his place in the World Cup squad as well.
Shoaib Malik, Sohail Tanvir and Azhar Ali, meanwhile, have been been put on stand-by by the touring committee and there is a possibility that Pakistan don’t opt for a like-for-like replacement.
absolutely a blow..and a big blow because we have nothing in our arsenal
so Junaid Khan is unfit ..Saeed Ajaml is already out, Hafeez cant bowl and Umar Gul is injured too (that is actually good), so who will be exactly bowling for Pakistan in this world cup in 2 weeks?..........
this has to be the weakest Pakistani squad ever dispatched to World Cup!
This is a terrible news. Considering the fitness level of Muhammad Irfan, that day is not far when we would see Wahab Riaz and Bilawal Bhatti lead Pakistani bowling attack in a world cup match. Bravo! That makes me think are Bilawal Bhatti and Wahab Riaz really the top 2 fast bowlers in this nation of 180 million plus?
So Irfan will be the only fast bowler in the team. Even he is injury prone. In case any of the bowler goes for runs, and bowlers like Wahab and Bhatti probably will, who is going to bowl.
This is pathetic. What happened to the back up bowlers the coach said they would have.
So who will open the bowling? Bhatti? heeen?..haaan
I dont even remember the face of Junaid. He is more fit than unfit. His fitness-test should be called unfitness-test. He is not extra tall or heavy not sure why he is prone to so many injuries.
wow thats a blow. Big one. I thought Bhatti is good but in 1st ODI against NZ, he sucked pretty bad. So yea with Irfan, wahab riaz and bhatti bowling as 3 pacers, I doubt if we stand a slight chance
heeen?..haaan