June 4, 2008, Sohail Khan has replaced Mohammad Asif in Pakistan's 16-man squad for the upcoming tri-series in Bangladesh, which will involve the hosts and India. The series is due to begin from June 8.Asif was originally selected in the squad on Sunday, the very day he was detained at Dubai airport for suspected possession of an illegal item. It is unlikely now that Asif will be back in time to play in the tournament. Selectors told Cricinfo that they were not aware of Asif's situation when they picked the squad.
Khan has had an impressive first-class season, picking up a Pakistan record 91 wickets in his debut year and he has impressed many with his pace and stamina. He was rewarded for his efforts with an international call-up against Zimbabwe earlier this year in an ODI series. In three ODIs so far, he has picked up four wickets, with a best of 3 for 30 against Bangladesh.
He wasn't part of the original squad because selectors felt that Wahab Riaz's left-arm provided a more seasoned limited-overs option. Khan spent a week at a fast bowlers' camp in Lahore under the eye of Wasim Akram, where it was widely felt that despite his undoubted promise, there were still areas he needed to work on. Outside of his bowling, his poor fielding is considered a serious concern within the selection committee.
The Pakistan squad leaves for Dhaka on June 5.
Source: Cricinfo staff
