Pakistan pacer Junaid Khan ruled out for World Cup

Lahore, Feb 2 (IANS) In a setback for Pakistan, left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan has been ruled out for the World Cup after failing to pass his fitness test Monday.

Khan was one of the senior pacers in the team which already includes Moham­mad Irfan, Wahab Riaz and young fast bowler Ehsan Adil.

"I'm sorry I couldn't pass the fitness test. But perhaps this was God's will. My prayers are with the Pakistan team," Khan wrote on social networking site Twitter Monday.

The 25-year-old suffered a hamstring injury in his right leg while practicing at the national training camp at the Gaddafi Stadium before Pakistan's departure for New Zealand to play in the mega event.

Pakistan are already without the services of suspended off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and injured pacer Umar Gul, alongwith Mohammad Hafeez who will not be bowling in the quadrennial tournament because of a suspect bowling action. Hafeez, however, is in the team purely as a batsman.

Right-arm pacer Bilawal Bhatti, who was brought in as Junaid's replacement for Pakistan's two-match series against New Zealand, is expected to fill his boots for the World Cup as well.