Rising

Pakistan have suffered a setback with speedster Mohammad Asif pulling out of the five match ODI series against India because of an elbow injury.

The Pakistan team is scheduled to reach Delhi Thursday evening for the five week long Indian tour which include five ODIs and three Test matches. But the team will be without Asif at least for the first part of the tour.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is yet to make an official announcement on the matter and has not named any replacement for the injured pacer.

"Asif is not leaving with the team today due to an elbow injury. PCB will make an official announcement later during the day," sources in the board said.

Asif, though, is likely to join the team for the Test series starting on November 22.

Asif missed the ODI series against South Africa due to the same injury after breaking down while bowling in the second Test against South Africa in Lahore.

The bowler underwent an emergency MRI scan and the report showed that he needs further rest for the injury to heal properly.

Asif said last week in an interview that he needed a week more to recover from his elbow problem and bowl at his best.

"The doctors have advised Asif more rest to recover completely from his elbow problem. So he will not accompany the team for the one-dayers," a source in the PCB said.

The source said the board would make an official announcement on thursday afternoon about Asif not going to India but was unlikely to name a replacement as the one-day squad was already packed with bowlers.

"We are hoping he will be fit for the three tests which start from November 22 as he is a key bowler for us," the source said.

Another source said Pakistan was also facing some issues with the fitness of pacer, Umar Gul who has been in good form in recent matches.

The tourists, however, had fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar make a successful comeback to international cricket last week by taking four wickets in the final one-dayer against South Africa in Lahore.

Shoaib returned after serving a 13-match ban for indiscipline.

Pakistan will play its first ODI in Guwahati on November 5.

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incubi

Crap!
He's most likely been left out because (since he's gone off the steroids) he can't bowl to save his life. Did anyone see him against SA recently? With the exception of SA's 1st innings in the first Test he didn't pick up too many top order batsmen.
And what about the One Dayers against SA... very pedestrian indeed!


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Rising

to be fair asif had slight injury from the first test so he was not bowling well your being a bit harsh on asif i think he is a fine bowler

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incubi

If he was carrying an injury that was hampering his bowling, he should’ve made himself unavailable for selection. Carrying a performance detracting injury into a game is unfair on the rest of the team.
The thing is that ruling himself out of that series would've dented his chances of being selected for the forthcoming series against India - &, to a Pakistani, playing against India is like playing in the Ashes is to an Australian - & I doubt that Asif's ego would have let him miss that sort of publicity for all the money in the world!

Personally, I believe that Asif could be a fine bowler indeed... I guess I'm just still dirty at Asif, & the PCB, for refusing to face up to the drug scandal.
I abhor cheats!

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