By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan may include uncapped 16-year-old pacer Mohammad Aamer in the national team for next month’s four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Canada because of the unavailability of their key fast bowlers.
According to sources, the national selectors are seriously considering picking the lanky Aamer in the Twenty20 squad to be named later this week.
Aamer has been on the selectors’ radar since last year when he performed impressively on a tour of England with the Pakistan junior team. He also featured in this year’s Youth World Cup held in Malaysia.
Earlier this month, Aamer was included in Pakistan’s 30-man preliminary squad for September’s ICC Champions Trophy following calls from ex-players that the country should show more faith in its youngsters.
Aamer has a good pace and can swing the ball. But he seems a bit too young for senior team duty. However, Pakistan team is facing so many headaches in the pace bowling department that they are willing to bring in the rookie pacer in the Toronto-bound squad.
Key pacers Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar are unavailable either because of dope and fitness problems respectively.
Umar Gul, who has been Pakistan’s pace spearhead in recent seasons, is also unlikely to return for the Aug 14-17 Toronto tournament because of the same injury that forced him out of the Asia Cup earlier this summer.