Fit-again Hafeez set to play three-day game vs WI

KARACHI: Out-of-form batsman Mohammad Hafeez took a stride towards regaining a place in Pakistan’s Test line-up on Tuesday when he was deemed fit enough to be included in the squad for a three-day practice game against the West Indies.

Hafeez, who was sent home from England in August because of a calf injury, might get a chance to bring himself into contention for a place in the playing eleven for the first Test against the West Indies.

He has been passed fit by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which has decided to add the former Twenty20 captain to the PCB Patrons XI squad.

“Mohammad Hafeez has been inducted as a 14th member in the PCB Patrons XI squad for the 3-day match. He has been selected after overcoming his fitness issues and had featured in the first class match for SNGPL where he scored two half centuries,” a PCB statement said on Tuesday.

The 14-member squad of PCB Patrons XI is scheduled to travel to Dubai on Wednesday morning.?

Hafeez, who missed the T20 and ODI series against West Indies, flopped miserably during the tour of England.

Apart from Hafeez, a number of Test discards would be looking to impress the national selectors when they feature in a three-day match against the touring West Indies team in Sharjah.

Fawad Alam, who last played a Test way back in 2009, will be leading the PCB Patrons XI team against the West Indians in the day-night tour match to be played from October 7-9. The match will precede a three-Test series between Pakistan and the West Indies.

Fawad, who turns 31 on October 8, will be at the helm of a strong team that includes the likes of Test cricketers Ahmed Shehzad, Shan Masood, Adnan Akmal, Iftikhar Ahmed and Junaid Khan.