Junaid Khan creates injury scare after not turning up for training

Junaid Khan

Pakistan left-arm pacer Junaid Khan created quite a scare on Thursday after failing to turn up for a training session in the ongoing conditioning camp at Lahore for the players prior to the World Cup.

The 25-year-old, in the past, has had a troublesome knee which has kept him out of action for a prolonged period of time. A board official, however, allayed any fears of a serious injury to Junaid by confirming that he only has a minor niggle.

"The media have made a big issue of Junaid's absence today from training, but it is just a slight niggle and not a knee problem again," a PCB official said.

Junaid has only recently recovered from a knee injury and played a key role in his domestic side, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, winning the Pentangular Cup title in Karachi, by claiming a five-wicket haul in the final. He has played 48 ODIs for Pakistan till date, picking up 75 wickets after making his debut in 2011 against the West Indies.

He had injured his knee in September 2014 before Pakistan’s home series against Australia in the UAE and had to head home to undergo rehabilitation. Pakistan are set to leave for New Zealand on January 20 and begin their World Cup campaign against India on February 15 at the Adelaide Oval.