pakistani left arm pacer junaid ruled out of worldcup

Pakistan fast bowler Junaid Khan has been ruled out of the 2015 ICC World Cup after failing a fitness test on Monday. The left-arm pacer sustained a hamstring injury during a training session in Lahore last month and has failed to recover. The injury had kept Junaid out of the two-ODI series against New Zealand where allrounder Bilawal Bhatti was named as his replacement.

"Junaid appeared in a fitness test and was not found fit enough to play the World Cup," a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said on Monday. Bhatti is likely to remain in the Pakistan squad as Junaid's replacement for the mega event.

Pakistan's bowling attack, in the absence of Junaid, will now heavily bank on tall left-arm pacer Mohammad Irfan as experienced pacer Umar Gul is out with a knee injury and offspinner Saeed Ajmal is serving a suspension for a suspect bowling action. Plus, allrounder Mohammad Hafeez is fighting a race against time to get his action cleared by the ICC. Hafeez, who was suspended in November last year, is set for a re-examination on February 6.

Junaid was out of action for two months after suffering a knee injury in October 2014. He came back to competitive cricket with 11 wickets in five List-A one-day ties in December-January. His performance was good enough to earn him a place in the final 15-man squad for the World Cup.

The medical staff examined Junaid and found "the traction injury of the nerve in the posterior right thigh" and has advised a fitness regime at the National Cricket Academy. "It's a heartbreak for me. I couldn't pass the fitness test and am not able to play the World Cup. All my prayers are with the team," Junaid is quoted as saying by AFP.

Pakistan play the second and final one-day against New Zealand on Tuesday before leaving for Australia where they open their World Cup campaign against arch-rivals India in Adelaide on February 15.