Islamabad
Pakistan’s most successful Test leg-spinner Yasir Shah says he is fit enough to play during the country’s upcoming Zimbabwe tour.
He has, however, been dropped from the Test squad for the tour. Shah says he plans to restart training in the next few days.
A day earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Chief Selector Mohammad Wasim announced the Pakistan squad for the upcoming tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe in a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
“The Test series will be played after almost a month’s time. One-day and T20 matches will be held first so the Test series against Zimbabwe will be starting after mid-April.
Now when I have recovered from a knee problem, I can start training in the nets in a few days and hopefully would be in the best of rhythm in a couple of weeks,” Shah was quoted as saying by The News.
The leg-spinner doesn’t believe his knee problem is that serious.
“Despite of this problem I continued taking wickets. After a brief rest from active cricket, now I am feeling much better and have recovered fully,” he said.
He said Shah had some problem’s with his fitness and action.“We want him to work on both the issues and get fully recovered.
This was the only reason for which he was sidelined from the Test series against Zimbabwe,” he said.
The chief selector said Shah requires six more weeks to recover fully.
“His [Yasir Shah’s] absence form team has opened doors for Zahid Mahmood, who will have a stronger case in the Test squad as compared to the T20I side following the return of Shadab Khan and the presence of Usman Qadir,” the chief selector said.
For a place in the Test side, Zahid will compete with Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan, who were the two outstanding bowlers in the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy,” the chief selector added.
When questioned about Yasir’s hope to recover fully by the time Test series starts after more than a month time, Wasim said he was in a mood to take chances.—Agencies
