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Lahore: Pakistan's World Cup hopes were dealt a major blow Monday with frontline paceman Junaid Khan ruled out of the event after failing to pass a fitness test following a leg injury.
The 25-year-old left-armer, considered one of the country's most promising prospects in recent years, sustained a thigh injury in training last month that forced him out of the team's current tour of New Zealand.
"Junaid appeared in a fitness test and was not found fit enough to play the World Cup," a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said.
His absence means Pakistan's attack will be led by the relatively inexperienced Mohammad Irfan, following the losses of veteran paceman Umar Gul to a knee injury and ace spinner Saeed Ajmal, who is serving a suspension for chucking.
All-rounder Mohammad Hafeez meanwhile faces a race against time to get his action cleared.
He was suspended in November last year and will participate in a reassessment test on February 6.
Junaid was included in the 15-man squad last month but he will now likely be replaced with another seam bowler Bilawal Bhatti, a newcomer to international cricket.
Junaid had suffered a knee injury in October and was sidelined for two months. He returned to fields in the domestic Pentangular one-day Cup and performed well enough to get selected for the World Cup.
Junaid said he was saddened but wished his colleagues well.
