The left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan has replaced Mohammad Irfan for the ODI series versus Australia. Irfan flew back to Pakistan after the demise of his mother. Junaid Khan, who has played 52 ODIs and 22 Test matches, played his last ODI against Zimbabwe at Lahore in the year 2015.
“We are all sad about the death of Irfan’s mother,” said Junaid. “But this is a chance for me to prove myself and my fitness in Australia.
“This is a great moment for me and right now I am having the same feeling like I was selected for the first time. Getting back to the national team after such a long gap is a big achievement and I believe Allah has given a payback for my hard work.
“I will try to perform well in Australia,” he said. “Australian pitches are bit different but I am confident that I can put match winning performance there.
“It’s a team sport and I am sure I will get support from the captain and the fellow bowlers. I believe in putting my best and the rest is my fate,” Junaid Khan added.
Last year, after being not selected for the ODI series against England, Junaid contemplated a move to England but later denied the news.
Apart from Junaid Khan, another late addition to the squad is Mohammed Hafeez who on Saturday joined the squad at the insistence of Pakistan team management.
The ODI series starts on January 13 with the first game to be played at Gabba. Adelaide Oval will host the last ODI of the series on January 26.
Pakistan lost the Test series by a margin of 0-3 and will be looking to turn the tables in the limited-overs format of the game.