Left National Camp Due To Injury, Nothing Else: Ahmed Shehzad

Shehzad insists he left the camp because of his injury; not because he wasn’t selected for the T20 against England.

FIle photo of Ahmed Shehzad. (Photo: AP)

Pakistan’s out-of-favour opener Ahmed Shehzad has rubbished reports that he left the ongoing National T-20 Championship because he was dejected for not being considered for the T-20 match against England on September 7 in Manchester.

Obviously I am disappointed that I am not in the Pakistan squad but the reason for me leaving the national T-20 is a back strain that I had suffered during the event.

Ahmed Shehzad, Batsman, Pakistan

Shehzad said that he had already been called to the national cricket academy for an examination and rehabilitation for his back strain. “The strain was the reason I couldn’t carry on any longer in the national event where I was leading the Lahore team,” he said.

The opener who has been out of the national team since the World T20 in India this year said he had informed the Lahore team management about his fitness issue before leaving.

Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad had scored 108 runs in the 4 matches he played in ICC World T-20 with a high score of 52 runs against Bangladesh. (Photo: AP)

I am disappointed as every professional player should be. But to say that I left the national T-20 because of this injury is not unfair and false.

Ahmed Shehzad

Shehzad and Umar Akmal were both sidelined by the national selectors for the World T-20 after chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said that they were dropped on disciplinary grounds. According to Inzamam, both needed to work on their cricket and general discipline to be considered for national selection again. Both have already apologised to the cricket board and insist that they are are ready to follow any reformation by the PCB to be considered for national selection again.

(With inputs from PTI)