Injury rules Hafeez out of World Cup

Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez has been ruled out of the World Cup with a calf injury. Opener Nasir Jamshed is set to replace him in the squad, after he was approved by the ICC's Event Technical Committee.

Pakistan also have lead spinner Saeed Ajmal available for the World Cup, after his reworked action was cleared by the ICC, but the PCB named Jamshed as a replacement. Hafeez is the second Pakistani player to miss the tournament with an injury, after Junaid Khan.

"It's confirmed that Hafeez is unfortunately out due to an injury. Captain Misbah-ul-Haq, coach Waqar Younis and chief selector Moin Khan decided the replacement as they wanted an opening batsman in place of an opening batsman," PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said.

The board chief also said Jamshed already has an Australia visa and is expected to join the squad in five days to be available for their opening match against India on February 15 in Adelaide.

Hafeez picked up the injury while batting in the second ODI against New Zealand in Napier on February 3. He was ruled out of the World Cup after undergoing MRI scans on Friday in Sydney, following which he was advised a month-long rest. The allrounder was available only as a batsman in the tournament after he had been suspended by the ICC in December.

He was scheduled to undergo an official test with a reworked action in Brisbane on February 6, which the PCB wanted pushed back to February 10 because Hafeez was not fit.