Fawad’s selection chances get a boost as Faisal, Kamal ruled out

Fawad’s selection chances get a boost as Faisal, Kamal ruled out



By Khalid Hussain

KARACHI: Prominent middle-order batsmen Faisal Iqbal and Asim Kamal are almost out of the race to replace former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq in Pakistan’s One-day International (ODI) squad for a three-match series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi because of illness.

Faisal, 25, is suffering from an eye ulcer that has forced him to miss training sessions at a preparatory camp that concluded in Lahore on Thursday. Asim Kamal was also forced to remain away from the action because of malaria.

The duo, regarded among the more talented of the local batsmen, were in the run for berths in the Pakistani squad for the ODI series in Abu Dhabi later this month because of the absence of Inzamam and Younis Khan.

Inzamam has retired from one-day cricket while Younis made himself unavailable for the matches against Sri Lanka because of his county commitment with Yorkshire.

Faisal, a nephew of former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad, has featured in 18 one-day matches and last played against the West Indies in the home series in December, 2006. He has also played 18 Tests and is considered by many as an automatic choice to replace Inzamam in the middle-order. The Karachi-based batsman, who was ignored for the World Cup in the Caribbean, was being seriously considered for the matches in Abu Dhabi by the national selectors but the eye infection has almost ended his hopes of playing in the series.

Asim Kamal, 28, was also in the 39-man list invited for a national training camp last month. A reliable batsman who has a healthy average in Tests, the left-handed Asim is yet to make his ODI debut for Pakistan.

Some experts support his inclusion in both the Test and ODI squads because of his solid temperament which they believe can be an asset for the Pakistani batting line-up that has the tendency to crumble under pressure.

With Faisal and Asim becoming doubtful, young batsman Fawad Alam now looks set to get a berth in the Abu Dhabi-bound squad.

Fawad would captain a Pakistan Academy team against a select XI that would be led by the new Pakistan Shoaib Malik at the Gaddafi Stadium in the last trial match today. The 21-year-old Fawad led Pakistan Academy to the title in a three-team Academy tournament in Dhaka earlier this week that also involved teams from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The national selectors have decided to give rest to several prominent national players and have instead opted to try out several second string players in the last trial game.

An official said that premier batsman Mohammad Yousuf, pacers Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami and Rao Iftikhar are some of the leading players who would be rested for today’s match.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to wind up the training camp after today’s match according to scheduled but has announced that the national team players would reassemble for a final phase of the camp on May 10 in Lahore.

Pakistan are to announce their team for the series in Abu Dhabi by May 7.

The three-match series is now to be played from May 18-22. Earlier, the matches were to be held from May 9-15 but were rescheduled on the request of the Sri Lankan cricket officials. The Pakistan cricket team would leave for Abu Dhabi on May 16.


http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=54173




Long Live Eye Infections!

Thank god for eye ulcers but tough luck for Kamal

I would really like to see this fawad alam chap

This little bit scares me. Faisal as the automatic choice to replace Inzamam? God help us.

Go on Fawad, make teh most of any opp you get, if at all. Inshallh given ethe time, space and guidance, he will be a very good player indeed.

Fawad in for Inzi and Kamal(great) in for Younis(crap).Way to go.I hope he does recover soon Kamal.

Would have loved to see Akmal back in action. The guy has been unfairly ignored.

I think you mean Kamal..

The fish n chips lunch strike again...I do...I always keep getting the two names mixed up!

dyslexia maybe rather than your lunch lol

I was also shocked to read that part. Faisal Iqbal, automatic choice

I know

Please reveal who these people are who view him as an automatic choice so that we make sure they are incapable of influencing any such decision. Youd have to be pretty obtuse to even think such a thing.

Healthy competition for Inzamam's and the number 6 slot in our team. You all know who I'd prefer to have but thats another discussion for another thread.

come on man we don't know how much pain the guy is going through!

Sympathies to Kamal though. He never catches a good break

If Faisal is the automatic choice for Inzi's place then maybe we can also replace Shoaib Akhtar with Junaid Zia...that's how retarded it sounds!

Good Luck Fawad Alam cause soon, if you don't perform, all these people who are over the moon about your selection, will be asking for your blood too...so no pressure, go replace INZI and score tons of runs

it cant be more pain than what he puts the rest of pakistan through when he bats.

Fawad Alam is a real talent I hope he performs well and removes any idea of having Faisal in the team.

However i think he will need a good 6 months in the team to show what he is made of

I agree what a scary thought. Are our selectors truely that stupid!

Who says F alam is direct replacement for inzi? The guy deserves a chance at highest level on merit and should be judged on what he does etc.. not in comparison to ex-players.

I hope Kamal recovers from illness and regains some form with the bat. If recalled he could be a solid performer for pakistan.

This made my day! So happy! Really made my day to know Faisal will not be in contention! HOO HA!

I am happy that Faisal is no longer in contention but hope this eye ulcer is not too serious, his health should come first. Sure he is not a good batsman but I still want the poor guy to recover ASAP.

I am pointing indirectly to the fact that people are placing so many expectations on this kid's young shoulders...when 80-90% of the posters have not even seen him really play anything besides the 20/20 matches!

If he fails, I know how PPers come out with sticks/knives and stones in their hands...ready to kill; lets ee what happens.

Anyhow, my best wishes are for this kid cause he seem to be a pretty handy cricketer too; Pakistan need more of his kind

Why would anyone have Faisal Iqbal as an automatic choice? He is useless in every form of the game and should never play for Pakistan again. I think that both Kamal and Fawad should play in tests as our openers are useless and they will add something extra to the team. But in ODIs we don't need a player like Kamal as he would be another Younis.

Well, I just read the part of Faisal being an auto replacement for Inzi. Thats really not too good. And I knew that was going to happen. Fawad needs to cement his place FAST.

Fawad and kamal as openers? have you seen either play?

Both are number 5/6 type batsmen for test cricket. Not openers.

seems Luck is with Fawad Alam as well. he is coming through 3-4 players who may b fighting for same place.

Faisal Iqbal got infection.
Kamal got injury.
Mibah ul Haq was called as well and been asked to report on April 28th, he was late for 2 days I think and arrive on April 30th, selectors didn't let him play practice matches saying he missed fitness test.
Kaneria & Mansoor Amjad also wanted to come back and join team camp in Lahore, but Selectors stopped them as well as both players were not present at fitness test.

Kamal can be the Pakistani Michael Bevan!