ICC approves Clark's inclusion for World Cup

Stuart Clark has been cleared by the ICC to play in the World Cup after being picked as Brett Lee's replacement for the tournament starting on March 11. The ICC's World Cup technical committee has also received a request from the Pakistan board to switch the allrounder Azhar Mahmood for Abdul Razzaq after he suffered a knee injury that ruled him out of the contest.

Clark was added to the 15-man squad last Friday subject to the approval of the committee and he will leave for the Caribbean with the outfit today. "Clark is the first replacement player called up for the tournament after each of the 16 teams taking part nominated their final squads," an ICC spokesman said. Lee suffered the ankle injury before the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in New Zealand and the problem did not improve over the next week.

David Richardson, the senior ICC official, will also chair the committee when it rules on Mahmood's case. The ICC spokesman said the application would be "considered in the very near future".