Arafat out of World Twenty20 due to Injury

On Tuesday 13th, 2010, the Pakistan team were forced to drop one of their best players from their 15 man squad. Yasir Arafat>, a successful Pakistan all-rounder at the English county level, won’t be able to play for the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies later this month. He suffered a calf injury during the training session in Lahore held last week. This information was confirmed by the captain of the Pakistan team, Shahid Afridi. Arafat is one of the most successful Twenty20 bowlers in the world with 90 wickets in his pocket.

Afridi told the News Channel that Arafat is definitely out due to the calf injury. He was not fit, after which Afridi had to take the decision. Though there hasn’t been a replacement, it is highly suggested that there be a replacement on the place of Arafat, which would be Shahzaib Hasan. This twenty year old right hand batsman had appeared in 2009 World Twenty20 in England and contributed to the team with a good start. For Afridi, Shahzaib is the perfect man as a replacement to Arafat.

To start with, Shahzaib is very much in the picture for the Pakistan team and he is also a good pinch-hitter, which would be useful for the team to play in the West Indies. The Pakistan camp sources said that the team was also waiting for another player, Umar Gul, who had hurt his shoulder during a fielding drill last week. He even resumed bowling during the net practice and his shoulder showed signs of improvement.

For the Pakistan Captain, time is rather less due to which there might be a fitness test for Gul on the 18th of April, 2010. Gul is also very keen to be back on the pitch ready for challenge and the captain is even hoping that he would be fit and fine.