Pakistan will miss the services of in-form all-rounder Imad Wasim in the One-Day International and Twenty20 series against England to be played in UAE next month.
Wasim, who has performed well with bat and ball for Pakistan since making his debut this year, has been ruled out after he injured himself while playing for his Islamabad region team against United Bank in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Wasim did not come out to bat in both innings of the match which ended on Thursday in Islamabad.
Chief selector Haroon Rasheed, who was at the ground watching the match when Wasim got injured, said he fractured the little finger of his left hand while attempting a catch. "His finger is fractured and is in plaster. Doctors have said he requires atleast three weeks before they know his fitness situation. So he is out of the limited over series," Rasheed said.
Wasim has starred for Pakistan in his five ODIs and five T20 appearances with both bat and ball. Rasheed said the spate of injuries suffered by the players in recent times have badly hit the plans of the national selectors. "Wasim's injury is a setback since he has shown he can bat well under pressure and has become a mature bowler. We are already missing batsman Haris Sohail even as he was developing into a competent middle order bat for Pakistan. He has been out for a while now since his ligaments behind the knee are torn and will heal naturally and there is no time limit when that will happen," he said.
He said even all-rounder Anwar Ali was coming out of a side strain injury. Rasheed said a replacement for Wasim would be finalised after discussions with the team management.
