Mohammed Asif is nursing an elbow injury

Karachi: Pakistan were dealt a blow ahead of their ICC World Twenty20 semi-final against New Zealand with pace spearhead Mohammed Asif in doubt for the match with an elbow injury.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf said Asif had sustained the injury during the net practice before the game against Australia and has been in pain since then.

“That is why he has looked out of sorts and struggled with his line and length. He has played because of the importance of the game against Australia but I think the team management should have given him rest for the match against Bangladesh,” Ashraf said.

Asif has been in tremendous form in the tournament, took four wickets against India, and Pakistan have relied heavily on his early strikes and economical bowling in the championship.

Ashraf said Asif had played after taking injections but he was still not 100 per cent fit.

“The manner in which Asif bowled against Bangladesh he does not bowl like this even in the nets,” he said.Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik also admitted that Asif was crucial to the team’s chances in the event.

He said the lethargic performance against Bangladesh was a result of the players being tired and jaded after travelling and continuous cricket.

“But after one day’s rest we will be back to our best for the semi-final against New Zealand. We have come so far and now we don’t intend to go out without a fight,” he said.

Malik said Shahid Afridi would continue as opener.

“If he comes off it is good for the team so we have decided to try him as an opener,” he said.

Whatever the circumstances, Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson is confident that his players can win the semi-final.

Terming their performances in the tournament as “encouraging” and “lifting,” Lawson also hit out at players and critics questioning the seriousness of the ICC World Twenty20.

“Twenty20 is an exciting type of one-day cricket and all the teams are exposed to the danger of defeat because a few players or a single player can change the fate of a match with his individual performance with the bat or ball,” he said.

“If someone says it is non serious, I do not agree… It is a World Cup and it has its own significance and all the teams who have reached the semi-finals will be focusing to lift the title”, said Lawson.

“Our performance has been up to the mark and we have proved many people wrong.” It was not easy for us and there were lot of challenges midway but the team successfully overcame all of them,” he added.

Lawson said even the one defeat against India was acceptable.

“We lost one game in the event to India and I would say it was a decent defeat as we almost won and then suddenly could not perform in the bowlout format which was new to the players.”

Lawson said the good thing was that the team had faced different types of opposition in qualifying for the last four stage and they had got stronger and stronger and learnt to apply themselves in tight situations.

Teams

New Zealand (likely): Lou Vincent, Brendon McCullum, Peter Fulton, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori, Shane Bond, Mark Gillespie, Jeetan Patel.

Pakistan (likely): Imran Nazir, Shahid Afridi, Mohammed Hafeez, Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul Haq, Kamran Akmal, Mohammed Asif, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir.

Umpires: Daryl Harper and Simon Taufel. TV: Ian Howell.

Match Referee: Mike Procter.

(PTI)