Injured pacer Munaf to return to India

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

IANS


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Chittagong : India's pacer Munaf Patel is returning home due to a back injury and will be replaced by lanky Delhi pacer Ishant Sharma, the board announced Friday.

Patel was omitted for the first Test against Bangladesh that began here Friday. Left-arm-pacer Rudra Pratap Singh replaced him at the Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium.

Niranjan Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said in an e-mail message that the Baroda bowler "has been declared unfit with pain in the lower back".

"The team management (in Bangladesh) has decided to send Munaf back and they have requested a replacement for him," Shah said.

"Chairman of selection committee Dilip Vengsarkar, in consultation with his colleagues, has decided to send young Ishant Sharma to reinforce the team (in Bangladesh)."

Vengsarkar is here with the team.

Earlier, pacer Sreesanth was sent back to India with a calf problem. Singh, who was here for the One-day International series, was asked to stay back as his replacement.

India won the ODI series 2-0.

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