50-50 chance to avoid surgery

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan has a 50-50 chance of escaping any serious damage and might play a role in Pakistan's Test campaign against England later this summer, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official said on Tuesday.

"Rana was examined by a specialist in London yesterday and the initial report on his groin injury seems pretty positive," Abbas Zaidi, PCB's Director of Board Operations, told `The News'.

"The player has a 50-50 chance of avoiding a surgery and if his injury can heal just through medication then there are chances that Rana could play on the tour of England," he added.

Pakistan will embark on a marathon tour of England later this month and are scheduled to begin their four-match Test series on July 13 at Lord's.

Rana, who was supposed to spearhead the Pakistani attack in the absence of the injured Shoaib Akhtar, suffered a groin injury while playing for Sussex earlier this season. His injury was feared to be serious enough to require a surgery, which could rule him out of any international action for at least three months.

But a specialist told Rana in London that he would keep him on medication for almost a week before taking a final decision on his case. "The doctors will take six more days before they decide whether Rana can get fit again without any surgery," said Zaidi.

It is suspected that Rana is suffering from a Gilmore's groin, an injury that could need a surgery. If Rana manages to escape any surgery then there are chances that he could return to the Pakistani squad by the time it will reach Manchester where the second Test would start from July 27. "It would be good for our team if Rana gets well without any surgery," said Zaidi.

Pakistan are facing a crisis of pacers ahead of the important assignment in England because of the injuries to Shoaib and Rana.

Meanwhile, chief selector Wasim Bari has said Pakistan would reserve any announcement on Rana's replacement till the time his exact condition becomes clear. "It might take some time in getting the complete picture on Rana's injury and since we have three more weeks to go in the first Test, an announcement on the replacement can wait," said Bari.

Bari added the national selection committee would take a detailed look at all the possibilities before taking a final decision. "We would take a solid decision in case Rana is ruled out of the series against England because of injury," promised Bari.

Pakistan are considering several players including medium pacers Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Samiullah Niazi and veteran legspinner Mushtaq Ahmed as possible replacements for the injured Rana. But Bari refrained from commenting: "We are looking at all sort of possibilities."