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Karachi: Pakistan's national selection panel is keeping a close watch on the fitness of comeback pacer Mohammad Asif as it prepares to finalise the squad for the Champions Trophy in September.
Chief selector Iqbal Qasim told PTI that two of the selectors, Mohammad Illyas and Azhar Khan, had watched Asif bowl in a local match in Lahore on Sunday.
"He bowled a seven over spell and the report from the selectors is a positive one," Qasim said.
Asif has been named in Pakistan's preliminary squad of 30 for the Champions Trophy even though he is still serving a ban for failing a dope test at last year's Indian Premier League.
The ban ends on September 22 and the Pakistan Cricket Board said it got clearance from the ICC to consider him for the final 15-member squad.
"Asif has not played any cricket for a year now so we are anxious to know about his match fitness because we will not take a risk with any unfit player for such a big tournament," the chief selector said.
"He is a key bowler for us and he has been given a program to work on to improve his fitness and endurance level at the academy. He has to meet certain deadlines to qualify for the Pakistan team," Qasim added.
