Pak vs Aus: Fitness issues ahead of Australia series worry Pakistan team management

LAHORE: The Pakistan cricket team management is worried about the cricketers’ fitness issues ahead of the upcoming Australia Test series starting from March 04.

Sources said that pacer Hassan Ali and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf have not recovered fully from injuries and their participation in the Rawalpindi Test is doubtful.

Mohammad Nawaz has already been ruled out of the series due to an injury.

The Islamabad United players suffered injuries during the ongoing Pakistan Super League tournament and could not play a couple of matches. Hassan, who sustained a groin injury, has returned to the team but his performance is not up to the mark.

Faheem Ashraf, however, is not playing after he sustained an injury during the match against Peshawar Zalmi in the first eliminator at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The team's management expressed fears that the out-of-form players may be ruled out of the three-match series if their fitness is not improved in the next two to three days, the sources added.

“A fitness review will be done by the management,” they said.

Earlier this week, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had announced some changes in the squad for the series, inducting Naseem Shah and Sarfaraz Ahmed as travelling reserves.

However, Shah and Sarfaraz will only be considered for selection if there is an injury, the PCB had said.

Mohammad Haris had been added to the reserve players list. However, he, along with Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Abbas and Yasir Shah were advised by the PCB to participate in the Pakistan Cup, which commences on March 2.

If required, they will be drafted into the side, the PCB had said.

Test schedule:

• March 4-8 — First Test, Rawalpindi
• March 12-16 — Second Test, Karachi
• March 21-25 — Third Test, Lahore

Pakistan squad:

Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, and Zahid Mahmood.

Australia squad

Cricket Australia have already announced an 18-member Test squad.

Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, and David Warner.