Injured Hafeez to begin rehab soon

LONDON: Pakistan’s cricket team on Sunday moved to Nottingham ahead of Tuesday’s (tomorrow) must-win game against England, leaving injured Mohammad Hafeez behind.

Hafeez was on Saturday replaced by pacer Mohammad Irfan after the senior batsman suffered a calf injury a day before Pakistan’s second One-day International (ODI) at Lord’s.

Pakistan’s officials were still trying to line up some arrangements to help Hafeez carry out rehabilitation in bid to recover his fitness.

“Hafeez complained about the pain in his left calf. He had a minor strain in his left calf which ruled him out of the limited-overs part of the series against England,” a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.

“The team management has decided that there was no point in retaining him with the team. Though he will be staying in England for intensive rehabilitation to regain his physical form.

“The team management has requested selection committee to replace Muhammad Hafeez with Mohammad Irfan and selection committee has approved this replacement.”

After complaining about pain in his left calf, Hafeez was diagnosed with a minor strain which means he will play no part in the remaining three matches of the ODI series, as well as the one-off T20I at Old Trafford which concludes the tour on September 7.

The likelihood was that he was going to be dropped for the second ODI anyway, having endured a barren run of form since his arrival in England.

He managed 102 runs in six innings of the Test series before being left out for the series decider at The Oval, and made 11 from 15 balls in Pakistan’s defeat in the first ODI at the Ageas Bowl on Wednesday.

Irfan, the tall fast bowler who missed out on original selection for the squad, has been drafted into the squad following approval from Pakistan’s selection committee.

Irfan, 34, was originally overlooked in favour of a recall for Umar Gul, having failed to impress the newly appointed chief selector, Inzamam-ul-Haq with 12 wickets in nine ODIs in the previous 12 months.

However, he has been in action for Islamabad in the ongoing National T20 Cup in Rawalpindi, and will fly out to join the team ahead of the third ODI.