Pakistani opener Mohammad Hafeez has been ruled out of the remaining England series after the all-rounder suffered a calf injury before the second One Day International at Lords’ against England.
The selection committee approved towering fast bowler Mohammad Irfan as Hafeez’s replacement. Irfan will leave for the United Kingdom on Sunday to join up with the squad ahead of Tuesday’s third ODI at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge in the English Midlands.
Irfan was delighted with the ODI recall and said he would give his best to help the Pakistan team win.
Irfan, speaking to DawnNews, said he had worked hard on fitness and practice in a recently concluded camp with the Pakistan Cricket Board and was now ready to serve Pakistan again in international cricket.
The fast bowler expressed a desire to take early wickets in order to give the team a good start. “I’m confident I am providing better results on English soil,” he said, unlike his first tour in 2010.
“Joe Root is a quality batsman and I will aim to get his wicket early on so we can put pressure on the England middle-order,” he said.
Irfan said selectors were also in constant contact with him about fitness and he may get a chance to play Test cricket as well if they are satisfied with his fitness.
Hafeez had complained about pain in his left calf and had a minor strain which ruled him out of the limited-overs part of the series against England.
Team management decided there was no point in retaining him with the team, though he will stay in England for intensive rehabilitation to regain his physical form.
Pakistan trail England 0-2 after losing the first two ODIs of the five-match series.