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The arch-nemesis India and Pakistan are gearing up for the high-octane slugfest in the T20 World Cup which is slated to be played on October 23. Both the sides made last minute changes in their respective squads for the marquee tournament . While India named Mohammad Shami as Jasprit Bumrah's replacement in India's T20 World Cup squad, Pakistan included Fakhar Zaman in their main squad after pushing Usman Qadir to the travelling reserves.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed a dedicated physiotherapist to look after fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and batter Fakhar Zaman during the T20 World Cup in Australia.
A PCB source confirmed that due to the nature of the knee injuries suffered by Afridi and Fakhar, the board asked Dr Javed Akhtar Mughal, a London-based physiotherapist, to join the players.
"Dr Mughal was part of the whole rehabilitation process that Shaheen and Fakhar went through in London so he knows their injuries very well. Which is why the PCB chairman decided that the two players, particularly Shaheen, need dedicated care during the World Cup," he said.
He further said that the PCB considered both players an asset for Pakistan cricket and knowing well how sensitive knee injuries and their recovery process can be, it was decided to send Dr Mughal to Australia.
"He will be looking after both of them during the event. He was there when Shaheen and Fakhar used facilities at the Crystal Palace football club for their rehabilitation." Afrdidi and Fakhar will join the team today in Brisbane and will be playing in the two warm-up matches against England and Afghanistan before a decision is taken on whether they be available for selection in the World Cup.
Pakistan play India in their opening World Cup match at Melbourne on October 23.
Afridi has been out of action since mid-July when he hurt his knee while fielding during the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle while Fakhar injured his knee in the Asia Cup final in Dubai. Both underwent rehab in London last month.
India squad for T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami.
Pakistan's squad for T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood.
