Razzaq adds to Pakistan's injury worries

[Awesome Anjum]

Razzaq adds to Pakistan's injury worries
By Simon Briggs
(Filed: 24/07/2006)

Pakistan's injury problems continue to shadow England's. As Andrew Flintoff awaits surgery, Pakistan's own seam-bowling all-rounder, Abdul Razzaq, has a fitness worry prior to Thursday's second Test.

Razzaq reported soreness in the back after the first Test at Lord's, and his only exertion since then has been a few laps of the Northampton County Ground on Saturday. Today he is expected to ease back into bowling with a few overs in the Old Trafford nets.

Razzaq is not as pivotal a figure as Flintoff, but if he is unfit it will necessitate a shuffle of the tourists' three-man seam attack - already down to the bare bones after the loss of Shoaib Akhtar, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Mohammad Asif.

Pakistan are still considering a call-up for Sussex's Mushtaq Ahmed, on the off-chance that Razzaq should fail his fitness test. But even if they call Mushtaq into the squad, there seems little chance of him playing on what is expected to be a fast Old Trafford pitch.

There are already two leg-spinners in the side in Danish Kaneria and Shahid Afridi, neither of whose place is in any danger. To play a third would be like holding your trousers up with belt and braces, then taking along a box of safety pins just in case.

The most likely replacement is Shahid Nazir, who took three wickets against Northamptonshire on Friday, but whose batting is no match for the resourceful Razzaq's. Nazir has taken 17 Test wickets, however, while rivals Samiullah Khan and Iftikhar Anjum have yet to get off the mark.

Meanwhile, the prospects of Shoaib Akhtar playing any part in this Test series took a blow this weekend when he failed to make an appearance in the Birmingham League. Indeed, the strategy of easing Shoaib back to match fitness in club cricket has apparently been abandoned by the Pakistan camp.

According to coach Bob Woolmer: "Shoaib will not play until the medical staff feel he is ready, which they believe will be the West Indies A game ahead of the fourth Test."

Woolmer also expressed his disappointment at Flintoff's absence. "It would have given our team a psychological boost to play against a player of his quality," he said. "Mentally, players may relax as they know a key England player is absent, and I will have to address that. But with or without Flintoff I believe we can win. Nerves played a major part in the first Test but they have gone now."

[qasim722]

[Afridi_Fan]

I guess you are abit late on this one and Razzaq did practise with Pakistani team so its an old story

[Easa]

According to coach Bob Woolmer: "Shoaib will not play until the medical staff feel he is ready, which they believe will be the West Indies A game ahead of the fourth Test."

Thats a big blow. This means that the best we can hope for is Shoaib playing the 4th Test.

The perfect replacement for Razzaq is Yasir Arafat.

[Afridi_Fan]

Originally Posted by Easa Thats a big blow. This means that the best we can hope for is Shoaib playing the 4th Test. The perfect replacement for Razzaq is Yasir Arafat.

Big Blow?

Come on man its a good news earlier Bob said Shoaib will be lucky if he played in 4th test and now he is kinda saying he might be fit for the 4th test.So how is it a big blow?

[Easa]

Originally Posted by Afridi_Fan Big Blow? Come on man its a good news earlier Bob said Shoaib will be lucky if he played in 4th test and now he is kinda saying he might be fit for the 4th test.So how is it a big blow?

If you put it that way, its good news.

But earlier reports suggested that Shoaib would be fit for Headingley, now the best we can hope for is The Oval.

[usman_mhd123]

no surprises there

[infamous9383]

Time for a Yasir Arafat recall