Junaid's injury opens doors for Irfan, Sohail

Pakistan cricket team was rattled by another injury scare, after fast bowler Junaid Khan was dropped from the tour of New Zealand following a hairline fracture in his left foot.

However, Junaid's injury has brightened the prospects of comeback for fast bowlers Mohammad Irfan and Sohail Khan, reports suggest.

Irfan was barred from all forms of cricket for a year with six months suspended in March, after failing to report details of two approaches to corrupt the game.

As per reports, Junaid's injury would take around six weeks to heal and the pacer’s likely T20 comeback is set to be delayed. The bowler, who last played a T20 in 2014 and a Test in 2015, has struggled with injury in the past.

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In 2014, he missed matches on the tour of New Zealand due to a thigh injury and was later ruled out of the 2015 World Cup, before making a return again later that year on the tour of Bangladesh.

His departure has further dented the team’s powerful bowling line up, after newbie left-armer Usman Shinwari was barred from playing cricket after a stress fracture last month.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is scheduled to play five ODI and three T20Is between January 6 and January 28. The Pakistan selectors are expected to announce the squad later this week.