Muhammad Irfan to miss Asia Cup and World T20 due to hip injury

Karachi: A hip injury has ruled Pakistan`s tall left-arm pacer Muhammad Irfan out of the Asia Cup and World Twenty20 Cup.

Irfan sustained the injury while fielding during the ongoing national T20 championship. A PCB source said that the national selectors are due to announce the national squads for the forthcoming events in Bangladesh but Irfan will not be picked as he has been advised atleast three months to recover from his injury. "He again suffered a hip fracture while fielding for Multan in the national T20 event. He is in pain and is undergoing treatment. But the selectors have been told not to take a risk with him," he said. The source said that Irfan suffered a fracture in the same place that he had a fracture when he slipped while bowling during the T20 match against South Africa in Dubai three months back. That injury had ruled him out of cricket for a while and he only resumed playing recently in domestic cricket. The selectors are also due to consider whether to risk picking experienced pacer Umar Gul for the Asia Cup or wait till the World T20 Cup. "Gul has also taken time to recover from his knee surgery and they are still doubts over the fact whether he is match fit for international cricket," the source said. Gul had to be sent home from the UAE last month after playing just three one-day internationals against Sri Lanka. The source said the selectors were also considering whether to give batsman Umar Gul the dual responsibility of wicketkeeping and batting in the coming tournaments or to pick a specialist wicketkeeper. The source said that captain Misbah-ul-Haq wants the experienced Kamran Akmal to be recalled to the side in place of young opener Sharjeel Khan so that he can also keep wickets. But head coach Moin Khan believes that wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed deserves to be given a proper run in both events after his impressive performances in the Test series against Sri Lanka where he was rushed as a replacement for the injured Adnan Akmal.