Taufeeq Umar replaced by Imran Farhat in the Test squad

Taufeeq Umar, the left-handed opening batsman from Pakistan, has been ruled out of the Test series against South Africa because of a leg injury and has been replaced by Imran Farhat in the squad.

The first Test of the three-match series begins tomorrow at Johannesburg. The Test series will be followed by two T20s and five One Day Internationals (ODIs). Since Pakistan’s two-match series against the Proteas in United Arab Emirates (UAE), Taufeeq has been a permanent member of the Test team and has not missed even a single match.

The cricketer from Lahore could not take part in the only practice match before the Test series against the South African Invitation XI due to the injury.

While talking to ESPNcricinfo, a PCB spokesperson revealed that Taufeeq has been advised to rest and the team management has asked the selection committee to send a replacement.

“He [Taufeeq] has been advised four to five weeks rest by the doctors,” the spokesperson said. “The team management is sending him back and requested for a replacement.”

Taufeeq was replaced by Nasir Jamshed in the playing eleven for the practice match. The youngster grabbed the opportunities with both hands, having scored half-centuries in each innings. Jamshed is now almost certain to make his Test debut in the first match, which will be a massive test of his abilities as an international cricketer.

The young left-hander made a comeback to international cricket during the Asia Cup 2012 and has looked a much improved batsman since then, having done brilliantly in the limited-overs series against Australia and the ICC World T20 2012 in Sri Lanka. Nasir slammed two centuries in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series against India, helping his team beat the arch-rivals.

If Pakistan have any chance of dismantling South Africa at their own backyard, their batting line-up has to be at the top of their game, with the hosts having the services of three world-class fast bowlers in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander.

On hard and bouncy tracks in South Africa, Pakistan’s openers will have show a lot of guts. Signs are good for the visitors as Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir showed good form in the practice match.

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Posted by Yasir Hashmi on Jan 31 2013. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.