Sohail replaces Umar Akmal in Pakistan Trophy squad

AFP: Pakistan all-rounder Haris Sohail will replace middle-order batsman Umar Akmal, who was unceremoniously withdrawn from the Champions Trophy squad over fitness concerns a week before the competition, it was announced Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Akmal, known for his chequered disciplinary record, failed two fitness tests after joining the squad in Birmingham last week.

He was left out of the limited-over squads for the tour of West Indies in March for being overweight.

The four-yearly eight-team tournament hosted by England starts on 1 June.

May 25 is the deadline for changes to squads, apart from  replacements for injury reasons.

Akmal has a history of disciplinary issues, and was fined last week for a verbal dispute with fellow player Junaid Khan in the Pakistan Cup held last month.Former Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis termed him a negative influence and recommended he be kept far away from the time following the team’s disastrous 2015 World Cup campaign in Australia.

He was also jailed for a day after beating a traffic police official in Lahore five years ago.

Sohail has not played for Pakistan since the limited-over series against Zimbabwe in Lahore in May 2015, after which he suffered a knee injury which required surgery.

The left-handed batsman, who also bowls left-arm spin, has played 22 one-day internationals and four Twenty20 internationals.

Pakistan open their Pool B campaign with a high-voltage game against arch-rivals India in Birmingham on June 4. They also play South Africa (in Birmingham on 7 June) and Sri Lanka (in Cardiff on 12 June).

Hosts England, Australia, Bangladesh and New Zealand form Pool A. The top two teams from each pool will qualify for the semi-finals.