Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez has been ruled out of the remainder of the tour of England, with giant pacer Mohammad Irfan being summoned into the squad as a replacement, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday.
Top-order batsman Hafeez was ruled out of Pakistan’s four-wicket defeat in the second ODI by England at Lord’s on Saturday with what team management said was a left calf injury.
The 35-year-old had a difficult tour, managing just 102 runs in six innings before being dropped during Pakistan’s 2-2 draw in a four-match Test series.
Off-spinner Hafeez, currently suspended from bowling because of an illegal action and with a knee injury that threatened his tour participation preventing him from undergoing a re-test, was then dismissed for 11 in England’s 44-run rain-affected win in the first ODI at Southampton on Wednesday.
Now, with Pakistan 2-0 down in the five-match series, 7ft 1in (2.1 metre) fast-bowler Irfan has been called up in Hafeez’s place.
The 34-year-old left-armer is expected to join Pakistan’s squad ahead of Tuesday’s third ODI at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge ground in the English Midlands. Hafeez, however, will remain in England for treatment.
The PCB statement said: “Hafeez complained about the pain in his left calf. He had a minor strain in his left calf which ruled him out of the (rest of the) limited-overs part of the series against England.
“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 requested the selection committee to replace Mohammad Hafeez with Mohammad Irfan and the selection committee has approved this replacement,” the statement added.
Irfan has taken 81 wickets in 59 ODIs at an average of 31.14, with a best of four for 30 against Zimbabwe at Brisbane during the 2015 World Cup. His last appearance at this level was against New Zealand at Auckland in January when he took one for 60 in eight overs during a three-wicket defeat on the Duckworth/Lewis method. (AFP)
