LAHORE - Junaid Khan’s participation in the forthcoming Pakistan-England series is in doubt due to his fitness problem and his fitness test will be held on January 6 at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), it is reliably learnt on Monday.
Junaid is recovering from a tear to an abdominal muscle, incurred while playing for Lancashire in 2010, and missed last month’s two-Test series in Bangladesh – which Pakistan won 2–0 – but hopes to prove his fitness at the NCA.
“Initially Junaid was going to play in at least one of the ongoing Under-23 domestic matches, but now he has been asked to join up with the rest of the squad at the condition camp starting tomorrow (Wednesday) at the NCA without featuring in any of the domestic matches,” a source close to Junaid revealed.
“A fitness test for Junaid is scheduled for 6 January and that test will ultimately determine whether he will travel with the rest of the squad to the UAE to face England or otherwise. Junaid has been working very hard with the coaching staff and has recently started bowling at full speed and is very confident that he will pass the fitness test and be on the plane to the UAE.”
The 22-year-old left arm pacer has been put through his paces in recent weeks at the NCA by a team of experienced coaches including Aaqib Javed. Junaid has impressed with his bowling since making international debut last year and featured in 16 international matches. His ability of reverse swing could be a potent weapon for the Pakistani bowling attack against a formidable English batting line-up and the coaching staff will be particularly keen to ensure that he is fit for what promises to be an extremely competitive series.