Jonny Bairstow is set to continue in the side after his man of the match performance at Headingley on Thursday night when England were stretched more than at any stage in the series by the pace of Mohammad Irfan.
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Pakistan head into Sunday’s final ODI in Cardiff 4-0 down in the five-match series and with just a lone Twenty20 worldwide in Manchester on Wednesday to follow before they leave for home.
Shortly before the news of Irfan’s withdrawal was confirmed Azhar Mahmood, Pakistan’s bowling coach, said it had to be acknowledged that Irfan’s size made him a unique case.
The remaining two places for the slimmed-down 10-team tournament will be decided at a 2018 qualifying event in Bangladesh.
The giant 7ft 1in (2.1 metres) Irfan, who was himself only called into the squad as an injury replacement for Mohammad Hafeez on August 27, managed just five legitimate overs in Thursday’s fourth one-day worldwide against England at Headingley before going off with cramps to the visible annoyance of coach Mickey Arthur.
While a World Cup without 1992 champions Pakistan remains unlikely, it is by no means unthinkable.
Mahmood, who took on his current role at the start of this series, replacing Mushtaq Ahmed who had been bowling coach for the Test series, defended Pakistan’s attack and said he had seen improvement after they conceded the world record 444 for at Trent Bridge.
Pakistan have a tough schedule as they try to improve their ranking, with the ICC system also factoring into account the quality of a team’s opposition.
“Frustrating” As for late call-up Irfan’s fitness problems in his first match of the tour, Arthur said.
“When I saw the fixture list, the games aren’t easy”, Arthur said.
“One-day cricket has changed a lot since we played and today I think England gave us an abject lesson in how to play 50 overs”.
“There were checks and balances in place (regarding Irfan’s fitness)”.
Pakistan will play the last ODI against England on September 4.
“There is still a decision to be made but at the same time I’m pretty confident in the decision that I will make and that it will be a positive one if selected, because the squads haven’t been announced”.
But a century stand featuring plenty of power-hitting from all-rounder Ben Stokes (69) and wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow (61) took the match away from Pakistan.
For the first time this series, Pakistan had a chance of victory when England slumped to 72 for four at Headingley.
On how he would take that prospect, Bairstow said: “I do not get a choice, do I?”
Arthur also spoke about how he envied an England side who, in an encouraging sign for Pakistan, were a laughing stock in 50-over cricket as recently as past year following their first-round exit from the 2015 World Cup.
“Where we are lacking as a batting unit we are not rotating the strike and we don t have the guys who can clear the ropes”.
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“They are young players and things will not change overnight, we have to be patient now”, he said on Geo channel. “I’m pretty happy with everything and really looking forward to it”, the 29-year-old Worcestershire off-spinner and left-handed batsman added.
