PCB requests for Razzaq as replacement ~ Crunch Reports

PCB requests for Razzaq as replacement

LONDON: Pakistan on Wednesday made a special request for the inclusion of experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq in their 15-man World Twenty20 squad as a replacement for the injured Yasir Arafat.

Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, said that the request has been sent to the International Cricket Council (ICC) ahead of his team’s Super Eights match against Sri Lanka here at Lord’s on Friday (tomorrow).

“We have requested for Razzaq’s inclusion as a replacement player,” Butt was quoted as saying in an interview.

An ICC spokesman said here that the technical committee of the World Twenty20 will take a final decision on Razzaq’s inclusion.

The decision is expected to be made on Thursday (today). Sources said that there is a 50-50 chance that Razzaq may be allowed to come in as Arafat’s replacement.

He was not a part of Pakistan’s 30-man squad but there is a possibility that the technical committee may give the green signal for his inclusion in the Pakistan team.

Razzaq, who played 46 Tests and 231 One-day Internationals, joined the unofficial ICL as a protest against his omission from the squad selected for the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007.

The Lahore-based player said he was delighted at the prospect of playing for Pakistan again.

“I am very happy and if given a chance I will do my very best for the country,” he said.

Pakistan had included Razzaq in their provisional 30-man squad for the ICC World Twenty20 on condition of clearance from the ICC.

Later they withdrew him and two other former ICL rebels — Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Imran Nazir — from the preliminary squad.

Last month, the PCB waived the “cooling period” for the Razzaq, meaning that he was available for national duty.

Razzaq had a long spell with the ICL, joining the league in 2007 after he was excluded from the World Twenty20 squad the same year. He was one of the key players for the Hyderabad Heroes in their title win in 2008.