The Pakistan Cricket Board has dismissed reports that pacer Mohammad Asif had suffered a recurrence of his elbow problem while playing in the Indian Premier League.
Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board has dismissed reports that pacer Mohammad Asif had suffered a recurrence of his elbow problem while playing in the Indian Premier League.
The Board's medical panel member Dr Sohail Saleem said that Asif was completely fit and his present fitness problem in the IPL was not related to his elbow injury that had kept him out of cricket for six months.
"He has no elbow problem and he is fit to bowl," Saleem said after the Board came under fire for allowing Asif to play in the IPL so soon after recovering from his chronic elbow problem that required a key hole surgery in Australia earlier this year.
Asif could not play at all since last October and only made his return to international cricket in the last two one-dayers against Bangladesh in April.
Saleem also claimed that he was constantly in touch with Asif who is playing for the Delhi Daredevils team and was satisfied with his fitness.
The Board said Asif's latest injury was due to a split webbing in his hand which he suffered during a match.
"The injury required some stitches that would be removed soon and he would be fit again," another official said.
Dr Saleem said media reports on Asif's injury were misleading.
Interestingly, the national selectors were also worried after reports about Asif's latest injury and have asked the Board to give them the list of available players who are 100 per cent fit for the tri-series in Bangladesh next month in which India will also participate.
The selectors plan to announce the team shortly and the selected players would just a short conditioning camp after the IPL ends on June 1 before leaving for Dhaka.
Most of the Pakistan players including the banned Shoaib Akhtar are presently playing in the IPL.
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