Bangalore 365

Pakistan fast bowler Rao Iftikhar Anjum is scheduled to leave for India as reinforcement to the Pakistan cricket team’s fast bowling department while reserve wicket keeper Sarfraz Ahmad is due to return back from India.

PCB has decided to send right-arm medium-fast bowler Rao Iftikhar Anjum to India for the third Test at Bangalore to strengthen its pace-attack after illness to Shoaib Akhtar and M Sami that had hampered Pakistan’s performance in the second Test. It is learnt that Pakistan’s team management in India had requested for all-rounder Abdur Rauf but the selection committee and PCB preferred fast bowler Rao Iftikhar as a better replacement under circumstances. Iftikhar will proceed in the afternoon today (Wednesday).

Pakistan cricket team is busy in Test series against India and is down 1-0 while they managed to draw the Kolkata Test Tuesday to keep series alive. This is going to be the second replacement in the Test series after Yasar Arafat who went to India just one day before the start of second Test match as reinforcement after ace fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was doubtful for the Test match owing to his illness but he was not included in the Test match as the unfit Shoaib Akhtar was preferred to be included in the playing XI who had to leave the field that left Pakistan team short of one fast bowler.

It is learnt that the team management and national selection committee had asked to send Roa Iftikhar to India before the second Test match but his visa could not be arranged in time that surprisingly opened the doors for all-rounder Yasar Arafat who was not even selected for the ODI series against India. Experienced Rao Iftikhar was sent back from India after the ODI series while young Sohail Tanvir was retained there for the Test squad. Wicket keeper Sarfraz was given ODI cap in the fifth match of the series and was held back for the Test series but experienced Kamran Akmal was included in both the Test matches that helped him to prove his worth specially his batting skills helped Pakistan to save the second Test match that had forced the team management to send him back.

Talking to The Post on Tuesday, Director PCB Cricket Operations Zakir Khan confirmed that Rao Iftikhar was leaving India to join Pakistan team today (Wednesday). He maintained that team management had requested to send a fast bowler so the PCB had consulted the national selection committee and approved Rao Iftikhar as a replacement.

To a question, Zakir said that the team management had not asked for any batting replacement. It is worth mentioning that there were reports that batsman Naveed Latif was also given green signal to leave for India along with another fast bowler Abdul Rauf but finally selection committee approved the name of Rao Iftikhar, who will leave for India today to join the Pakistan cricket team. Source: thepost

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