In another blow to injury-hit Pakistan, right-arm fast bowler Sohail Khan got unfit during warm-up match against Bangladesh at Blacktown Olympic Park Oval in Sydney today (Monday).
At start of the match, Sohail Khan managed to grab Bangladeshi opener Anamul Haq’s wicket.
The fast bowler had to leave the ground due pain in the foot whereas Sarfaraz Ahmed replaced him during the match.
According to team management, Sohail Khan’s injury is not severe, thus, physiotherapist has suggested him to rest for the next few days. Khan is unlikely to play against England in the next warm-up match.
Suspensions and injuries to key players have taken a chunk out of Pakistan's bowling stocks for the World Cup, meaning the 1992 champions will rely heavily on the likes of seasoned campaigners Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi again.
Earlier on Sunday, allrounder Mohammad Hafeez was ruled out of the World Cup with a calf injury. Opener Nasir Jamshed is set to replace him in the squad, after he was approved by the ICC's Event Technical Committee.
After fast bowler Umar Gul was ruled out, Pakistan had a critical blow when Junaid Khan injured his hamstring and could not compete in the two-match ODI series against New Zealand just before the World Cup. If the left-arm fast bowler can't recover in time, it would be a severe blow to Pakistan's prospects on the bouncy wickets of Australia and New Zealand.
Mohammad Irfan leads the bowling attack, but the tallest fast bowler in international cricket needs to be used cautiously alongside three inexperienced fast bowlers Ehsan Adil, Wahab Riaz and rookie Sohail Khan.
While there's some concern over the pace attack, the absence of offspinner Saeed Ajmal could prove to be a key factor in Pakistan's campaign.
Yasir Shah has been picked as the second specialist legspinner alongside Afridi.
Pakistan has been playing most of its international cricket on the slow surfaces of the United Arab Emirates, where its batsmen plundered loads of runs lately against Australia and New Zealand. But the conditions for its batsmen will be tougher in the bouncier wickets in Australia and New Zealand. Losses in two warmup matches in New Zealand and a heavy loss in the first ODI against the Kiwis is not an encouraging sign for Misbah, who scored runs in all the three games.
Pakistan has been grouped along with defending champion India, title contender South Africa, the unpredictable West Indies as well as Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates and Ireland in Pool B.
