Mohammad Hafeez Doubtful For World Cup After Second Surgery
Mar 30, 2019 at 12:43 PM
Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez could miss this year’s World Cup after undergoing a follow-up surgery on his fractured thumb in Manchester earlier this week. Hafeez has been on the sidelines since suffering the injury in the Pakistan Super League. The veteran batsman, who was playing for Lahore Qalandars, was ruled out of the tournament after he fractured his thumb during the match against Karachi Kings on February 16.
The incident took place in the 13th over of Karachi’s chase, when Colin Ingram hit one hard towards Hafeez before the ball burst through his fingers. He immediately walked off the field after being hit on the right thumb and did not return to the field thereafter. Hafeez could play only two games in the competition before being replaced by Salman Butt.
Hafeez has now been told to rest for two weeks before he can resume any kind of training. And the 38-year old is now in a race against time to make it to the World Cup squad, according to The Dawn.
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has set April 14 as the deadline for the players to undergo their final fitness tests before considering for World Cup selection. With not much time remaining now, the 38-year old now finds himself in a tough position.
Pakistan will also leave early for England — around April 24 — to play practice games, a five-match ODI series against England and two warm-up matches against Bangladesh and Afghanistan before the World Cup starts on May 30.
“Hafeez had to go for the second surgery as the fracture in his left thumb had not healed properly and the surgeon Mike Hayton had advised him for a follow-up procedure,” a source told PTI.
An official in the Pakistan Cricket Board said that Hafeez could appear in the fitness later if Arthur and the selection panel gives him the permission.
“There is still plenty of time before the World Cup begins, so it all depends on how Arthur and Inzi handle the issue. If they feel Hafeez’s selection is important for the team’s chances in the Woirld Cup, then most probably they will give him ample time to recover from his injury,” he said.
Hafeez, who retired from Tests last year, has played 208 ODIs and 89 Twenty20 Internationals. He was an integral part of the Pakistan team that won the Champions Trophy in England in 2017.