Experienced left-arm pacer Mohammad Aamir was Thursday included in Pakistan’s World Cup squad after their bowlers were taken to the cleaners by England recently.
The thrashing by English batsmen in a T20 International andtwo ODIs has alarmed the selectors, who were initially not keen on pickingAamir for the showpiece owing to lack of form.
Though Aamir is suspected to be suffering from chicken poxand is to have a medical examination done in London, a reliable source told PTIthat the team management, including captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and head coachMickey Arthur, expressed confidence in the bowler and allowed him time torecover.
“The chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq is also in agreementwith the team management but he wants to first be sure Aamir can be fit by thetime the World Cup starts from May 30,” the source said.
He said the team management and chief selector are nowawaiting the medical report of Aamir who was sent to London to stay with hisin-laws after it first emerged he might have contracted chicken pox.
“If the cricket board confirms that Aamir can make arecovery in two weeks time, the management and chief selector will want him inthe World Cup squad,” the source said.
The lacklustre performance of the bowlers in the matchesagainst England forced the team management to go back to Aamir, who was notpart of the 15-man squad named initially.”They are also keeping a close look at AsifAli who has scored two successive half-centuries in the ODIs and if hecontinues his form he might well be included in the World Cup squad but atwhose cost this has to be decided,” he added.