When Jack Wilshere announced that he will be leaving Arsenal this summer when his contract expires, many began to debate where the midfielder would be moving to.

Numerous Premier League clubs have been linked to the 26-year-old’s signature, but it seems that he has chosen a surprising destination.

On Thursday, Turkish-Football reported that Wilshere is poised to hold talks with Fenerbahce regarding a transfer.

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The England international, who has had a string of injury problems over the years, is available on a free.

If he does opt to move to the Super Lig club, it would be a rather strange decision in terms of his future prospects with the national team.

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The midfielder failed to make it into Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad, despite spending the majority of last season at Arsenal injury-free.

Playing in Turkey may not increase his chances of making it back into the England fold, but he could achieve regular minutes on the pitch.

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Arsenal fans have been giving their thoughts on Reddit, and some have been left confused.

Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..Comment from discussion Wilshere move to Fenerbahce is set to be announced on Monday..

For a team who would have been happy with a good showing in a valiant semi-final defeat, England are fast rivaling the favourites for this World Cup.

Playing a tape to the end is an exercise that the 2018 edition of the tournament has shown to be futile, as some of the biggest favourites have been dumped out of the competition, but England remain – and their potential path to the final could hardly be easier.

It might be hubristic to speak in such terms, but the facts are there for all to see – England are the biggest name team in their side of the draw, and a place in the final should be their minimum aim for the rest of the campaign.

And yet there is a worry about the Three Lions. The same one we could have raised about Spain, Germany and Argentina: have England really convinced?

A 6-1 victory over Panama was certainly convincing, but then that was only Panama. A last-gasp win over Tunisia sounds bad, but arguably that was England’s best game of the tournament; certainly it was in the first 30 minutes. And then there was Belgium – a game which told us absolutely nothing about Gareth Southgate’s team and its ability to go far in this tournament.

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So onto a knockout round where England could well be tested seriously for the first time, and in a game where failure means the plane home.

We might also see the steel the Three Lions hold within.

Much has been made of the fact that the countries Pep Guardiola has managed in have won the last two World Cups: Spain when he was in charge of Barcelona and Germany when he had the reigns of Bayern Munich. But England’s spine doesn’t come from Manchester but further south – in north London.

England are a side filled with Tottenham players, and that’s part of what makes them so exciting – Mauricio Pochettino’s side are one of the most exciting in the world and they undeniably fit together as a team.

And yet, you wonder if that will just make England Spursy.

For the last two years, those Tottenham players in the squad have shown promise only to come up short. They’ve been to the semi-finals of the FA Cup only to lose at Wembley both times. They’ve dazzled in the Champions League only to see a wiley old team of grizzled pros manage to somehow get themselves over the line.

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Most worryingly for England, 2016 could be the omen.

2015/16 was the year Leicester City won the Premier League title. They did so in remarkably similar fashion to what we’re witnessing in this World Cup. The biggest and best teams fell by the wayside and Leicester found themselves in a title race with Tottenham. Spurs themselves weren’t established as a top team that season, but they should still have been finishing above the Foxes.

This year, if England are relying on Tottenham players to get them over the line in a World Cup Three Lions fans really are salivating over, you wonder if that isn’t a worrying turn of events.

Cricinfo previews the second Twenty20 between India and Sri Lanka in Mohali

The Preview by Dileep Premachandran11-Dec-2009

Match facts

Saturday, December 12
Start time 17.30 (12:00 GMT)

Big Picture

Dinesh Karthik should easily slot in for an injured Rohit Sharma•AFP

The ICC World Twenty20 win, and the subsequent celebrations that riled Andrew Symonds so, seems like it belonged to another age. Though it set in motion the events that led to the creation of the IPL, India’s form in the international arena has been dire. Wednesday’s thrashing at Nagpur was their fourth loss in succession, and you have to go back nearly a year to their last victory against a major side. The Pathan brothers, Irfan and Yusuf, denied Sri Lanka then, and it will need similar strength of will from the middle and lower order to ensure that the team’s alarming slide in the game’s most abbreviated format is arrested.Sri Lanka snapped a four-game losing streak of their own in the opening game, and would have been delighted with the manner in which they coped despite another Sehwag-Gambhir blitz at the top of the order. Once again, it was an old man, Sanath Jayasuriya, who showed the young ‘uns how it’s done with a miserly spell that choked all life out of India’s charge for victory. Once again, Lasith Malinga and friends will focus on a callow middle order that was embarrassed at the World Twenty20 in England last June. India have shuffled the pack often enough, without finding any real answers.As worrying was the fielding, or lack of it. We can only speculate as to what Mike Young made of it, with catches spilled, run-out opportunities squandered and a generally lackadaisical approach. Sri Lanka were much sharper in the field, and that made the difference in a game where more than 400 runs were scored.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
India – LLLLW

Sri Lanka – WLLLL

Watch out for…

Tillakaratne Dilshan: He contributed significantly in Nagpur, without being as destructive as he can be. On a bouncier pitch, he could well showcase the electrifying shot-making ability that thrilled those at The Oval during the World Twenty20 semi-final. His offspin could also have a part to play.Yuvraj Singh: He will celebrate his birthday in front of his home crowd. With rumours rife that he may not lead the Kings XI Punjab side in the next IPL season, it’s the perfectly chance for one of the game’s biggest hitters to illustrate just why he’s so feared by the opposition, and so loved by the fans.

Team news

Sreesanth missed the Nagpur with a stomach bug and has not recovered. He was admitted to a city hospital last night and is under the doctors’ observation following multiple ailments. Rohit Sharma, who hurt his shoulder while diving in the last match, has also been ruled out. Rohit took part in the practice session at the PCA stadium but MS Dhoni said the team did not want to take a chance since he was not “match fit”. Dinesh Karthik, a handy batsman to have in this format, should replace him. The management will decide on the final XI on the morning of the game. There is an outside shot that R Ashwin could replace Yusuf Pathan, though Pathan’s swing-or-bust style may be persisted with for the moment.India: (possible) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Pragyan Ojha, 9 Ashok Dinda, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Ashish Nehra.”I am tempted to play the same eleven which did a brilliant job in the last game,” was Kumar Sangakkara’s reply when asked about Sri Lanka’s composition. There could, however, be a return to the fold for Ajantha Mendis, whose stock has plummeted since his heroics against India a little over a year ago.Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Chamara Kapugedera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Ajantha Mendis, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Dilhara Fernando.

Pitch and conditions

The dew could have a major role to play with a cold wave sweeping across northern India. Despite predictions of good bounce and carry, it looks like a bat-first-and-win match. If the skies are clear, the dew will be a factor by the time the first innings is over. Bowlers will find the ball hard to grip and batsmen could find the ball skidding through after pitching.

Quotes

“Hopefully before the next World Cup we would get it right. We will have the third edition of the IPL before that which I think will help. IPL will give us the right preparation.”
“We always have to come up with new ways to improve. Momentum is good as it gives us the confidence, self belief. It gives us the belief that we can repeat all the good things.”

Gerald Majola has hailed Makhaya Ntini’s career as the fast bowler reached 100 Test caps in the opening encounter against England in Centurion

Andrew McGlashan in Centurion16-Dec-2009Gerald Majola, the Cricket South Africa chief executive, has hailed Makhaya Ntini’s career as the fast bowler reached 100 Test caps in the opening encounter against England in Centurion.”Makhaya Ntini’s 100th Test match for South Africa marks a major milestone in one of the most incredible journeys yet undertaken in world cricket,” he said. “Makhaya rose from being a herd boy in the tiny village of Mdingi in the Eastern Cape to being rated as one of the world’s best fast bowlers and becoming the most popular sports person South Africa has known.”He has stridden the world cricket stage like a colossus since making his Test debut at the age of 20,” he added. “His 10 wickets against England at Lord’s in 2003 also stands alone in the South African record books at the home of cricket.”Majola praised the impact that Ntini has had within the sport and the way he has played the game over an 11-year career. “For more than a decade, Makhaya has been the face of South African cricket wherever the game is played,” he said. “His has been the face of friendship, enjoyment and a fierce will to win for his country.”Ntini himself has spoken of the pride of reaching his hundred milestone and admitted he never thought he would get the chance to represent his country. “For me, playing 100 times for my country – from a time when you thought, as a black cricketer, it wouldn’t be possible to penetrate and be successful among a white-dominated sport, it gives a lot of inspiration to younger people. If I can do it, so can they.”Ntini will have an even more important role to play in his 100th Test after South Africa lost the services of Dale Steyn shortly before the toss. Steyn pulled up during the warm-ups with a recurrence of the hamstring injury that has troubled him since the third ODI in Cape Town.He had appeared on course to make the Test after coming through South Africa’s training camp in Potchefstroom and his absence leaves Graeme Smith short of his main strike bowler. It also meant a last-minute debut for 29-year-old Friedel de Wet who had been kept with the squad on standby.Graeme Smith, the South African captain, said it had been a privilege to have had a part in Ntini’s career: “He’s a great success story, and he has worked very hard for this honour. He has always been an important part of the team – his work ethic, his commitment, his energy and his vibrant personality. I wish him every success in his 100th match.”He’ll tell you that his success is down to a lot of hard work. He’s had his ups and downs, but he’s always met them with 100 percent commitment,” he added. “Makhaya has become the spearhead of our attack and I’ve been very grateful for his energy and commitment as a leader.
He’s a vibrant person and he’s played a prominent role, not just in this team, but in South Africa.”

USA have announced the squad for the Under-19 Cricket World Cup scheduled for January 15-31, 2010 in New Zealand

Cricinfo staff24-Dec-2009USA have announced their squad for the Under-19 World Cup scheduled for January 15-31, 2010 in New Zealand. The squad prepare for the tournament with an intensive four-day weekend training camp in Florida, under the watchful eyes of USA coaches and former New Zealand player Dipak Patel.The squad is made up from the same group of players who participated in the World Cup Qualifier in Toronto, earlier in September. However Steven Taylor has been added as wicketkeeper-batsman. The team will assemble in San Francisco on January 1, 2010 for departure to New Zealand.On arrival in New Zealand, they will train as guests of New Zealand Cricket at the national training facility until January 9th when they will transfer to the tournament hotel. The squad will play two warm-up matches against India on January 11, and Papua New Guinea on January 12. A recent collaborative agreement between the USA Cricket Association and New Zealand Cricket, was instrumental in the latter facilitating such a welcoming host arrangement for the USA players. New Zealand Cricket coaches will continue to play an integral role in the preparation of the USA squad while in New Zealand.The squad was very focused during the recent training camp and all of the players are eager for the action to begin. According to assistant coach Reginald Benjamin, “For the many years that I have been involved in cricket in America both as a player and a coach this weekend has been the most productive and successful ever.”Squad 1 Shiva Vashishat (Captain), 2 Salman Ahmad, 3 Regis Burton, 4 Ryan Corns, 5 Muhammad Ghous, 6 Naseer Jamali, 7 Abhijit Joshi, 8 Azurdeen Mohammed, 9 Saqib Saleem, 10 Gregory Sewdial, 11 Yash Shah, 12 Hammad Shahid, 13 Sammi Siddiqui, 14 Steven Taylor, 15 Henry Wardley

Trent Copeland’s incredible ten-wicket first-class debut has earned him a call-up to the New South Wales FR Cup squad to take on Queensland at the SCG on Wednesday

Cricinfo staff02-Feb-2010Trent Copeland’s incredible ten-wicket first-class debut has earned him a call-up to the New South Wales FR Cup squad to take on Queensland at the SCG on Wednesday. He won’t be the only debutant in the match, with the rookie Queensland batsman Chris Lynn also named to play his first domestic one-day game.Copeland was included after collecting 8 for 92 in his first innings at first-class level, having never before taken that many in a first-grade innings. The Blues have also named Josh Hazlewood, the fast bowler who has just returned from Australia’s triumphant Under-19 World Cup campaign in New Zealand, and the spinner Steve O’Keefe in their 12-man squad.The trio replaced David Warner and Steven Smith, who will be with the Australian Twenty20 squad in Melbourne, and the fast man Mitchell Starc, who is having his workload managed. New South Wales are in desperate need of a victory as they sit in fifth place on the FR Cup table with three games remaining.Queensland can all but confirm a place in the final if they win on Wednesday, and victory would also give them a strong chance of hosting the decider. They have welcomed back the seamer Ben Laughlin, who has struggled with a side strain that kept him out of the Big Bash. James Hopes has also returned to the squad having not been picked in Australia’s Twenty20 line-up.New South Wales squad Phillip Hughes, Phil Jaques, Simon Katich (capt), Ben Rohrer, Dominic Thornely, Moises Henriques, Grant Lambert, Daniel Smith (wk), Steve O’Keefe, Nathan Bracken, Josh Hazlewood, Trent Copeland.Queensland squad James Hopes, Chris Hartley (wk), Lee Carseldine, Nathan Reardon, Craig Philipson, Glen Batticciotto, Chris Lynn, Chris Simpson (capt), Chris Swan, Ben Cutting, Ben Laughlin, Nathan Rimmington.

A round-up of final matches from the ICC World Cricket Leauge Division 5, where Nepal took the title with victory against USA

Cricinfo staff27-Feb-2010Rahul Vishvakarma , the Nepal left-arm spinner, produced an extraordinary display by claiming 7 for 15 as the hosts took the Division 5 trophy with a five-wicket victory against USA at Kirtipur and gained revenge for Friday’s defeat. After the controversial scenes of the previous day, when crowd trouble affected the end of Nepal’s match, the supporters were left much happier by this effort. However, when USA moved to 100 for 1 it wasn’t looking promising for the home side with the second-wicket stand between Orlando Baker and Steve Messiah on 81. The game changed when Baker was run out for 49 before Sanjam Regmi bagged Sushil Nadkarni to leave USA on 141 for 3. Then Vishvakarma began his one-man demolition job as USA lost their last eight wickets for 31 in 12 overs and Nos. 5 to 11 couldn’t reach double figures. Nepal’s chase was aided by 20 wides from the USA bowlers as Mahesh Chhetri and Anil Mandal added 85 for the first wicket. There was a minor wobble for Nepal at 140 for 5, but Gyanendra Malla saw then home with an unbeaten 28.”It’s a great thing for us to have won today as it is our first win as a senior side in a long time,” said Paras Khadka, the Nepal captain. “I think the team worked really hard today and the USA just couldn’t handle Rahul’s aggressive and crafty bowling. It’s wonderful to take home the trophy but after some celebration the focus has to turn to this August in Italy where I hope we can be equally successful.”Bahrain completed a depressing two days for Singapore with a three-wicket victory at Bhaktapur. Singapore missed out on promotion to Division 4 by a tiny difference of net run-rate and that disappointment could well have played a role in their demise to 126. Tahir Dar, who was named Player of the Tournament, took out the lower order with 4 for 29 after miserly display from Adil Hanif, who claimed 2 for 12 in 10 overs, did the early damage. Bahrain struggled, too, early in their chase and at 16 for 3 Singapore were back in the game but Imran Sajjid (34) and Ashraf Yaqoob (32) prevented a full-blown collapse. Still, at 105 for 7 it needed calmness from Dar to knock off the runs as he followed his four wickets with 13 not out as he and Fahad Sadeq completed victory.”It would have been nice to be promoted but to be recognised as the Player-of-the-Tournament is something I’m proud of and shows that I am doing something right within the team and working my hardest,” said Dar.Ryan Driver put in a captain’s performance as Jersey managed a consolation five-wicket victory against Fiji at Lalitpur but it will do little to soften the blow of relegation. Fiji were handsomely placed on 194 for 1, built around a stand of 161 between Josefa Rika (75) and Iniasi Cakacaka (78), but Driver’s four wickets meant they struggled to accelerate late on. Driver then anchored the chase with 78 from 104 balls and when he fell, Peter Gough ensured the chase remained under control with a calm 58 from 57 balls as victory came with five balls to spare.

Craig Kieswetter’s maiden ODI hundred laid the platform for England as they secured a series whitewash with a comfortable 45-run victory at Chittagong

The Bulletin by Liam Brickhill05-Mar-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Craig Kieswetter started slowly, but eventually struck nine fours and three sixes in his 107•Getty Images

Craig Kieswetter’s maiden hundred set up a comfortable 45-run victory in the third ODI at Chittagong as England sealed a 3-0 series whitewash over Bangladesh. Kieswetter’s 107 formed the backbone of England’s 284 for 5 after they were sent in to bat and the top order struggled for fluency on a sluggish pitch. His innings laid the foundation for Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright to play aggressive cameos, which boosted England’s total beyond the reach of Bangladesh’s abilities and the home side limped to 239 for 9.Kieswetter started cautiously and was content simply to occupy the crease after his early failures in the first two matches. Contrary to reputation, he was easily outscored by Alastair Cook at the start once again as the England captain managed three fours in his 32 before he was caught behind off Shakib Al Hasan in the 13th over. Kieswetter buckled down, overcoming another nervous start and a raucous appeal for lbw before he slowly came to term with conditions on a pitch that offered some assistance to the spinners.Kevin Pietersen was similarly circumspect against the slow bowlers when he first came to the crease. Just as he began to play with confidence he was pinned lbw for 22 by Razzak, despite his full forward lunge, as his struggles against left-arm spin continued.Paul Collingwood also struggled to time the ball, hitting just one four in his 36, but Kieswetter gained in confidence with every run, and brought up his fifty in the 33rd over with a rifling drive through the covers off Suhrawadi Shuvo. He opened up after reaching the milestone, cutting and driving crisply as he sped towards a hundred.Kieswetter reached the ton with a scampered single off Rubel Hossain, and celebrated by lofting the same bowler for a monstrous strike over long on before he went back to cut Razzak, but was cramped for room as the ball came in with the arm and ricocheted onto the stumps off the inside edge.Morgan profited from several lapses in Bangladesh’s fielding, being put down twice as he raced to 36 from 29 balls. He put on 67 in just over eight overs with Kieswetter as the pair matched each other shot for shot to take full toll of anything loose after England took the batting Powerplay in the 44th over.After Morgan departed Wright took over with a brutal display of power hitting. He stormed to 32 from just 13 balls, and closed the innings with a swipe over long off for six to take England’s total well beyond the abilities of Bangladesh’s combustible batting line up.The hosts’ run chase was soon in trouble, as Ajmal Shahzad struck with his third ball in one-day international cricket – just as he did against Pakistan on his England Twenty20 debut in Dubai last month – to have Tamim well caught by Tim Bresnan at third man as he slashed hard at the ball.Imrul Kayes briefly threatened to counterattack, but his dismissal brought Mushfiqur Rahim and Aftab Ahmed together, and both hit their strides quickly, running hard and putting away any loose balls. They added 56 with Ahmed striking successive boundaries off Liam Plunkett as Bangladesh’s chase began to gain momentum. He looked set for a half-century, but was then senselessly run out after setting off for a non-existent single and being sent back as Bangladesh tottered at 96 for 3.Their partnership was as good as it got for Bangladesh, as Rahim and Shakib fell after making good starts and the asking rate soon climbed towards ten an over. As victory came increasingly remote the run chase fizzled out with Naeem Islam and Mahmudullah soaking up 85 balls between them for 51 runs and Bresnan hastening the slide with a career-best 4 for 28.The win gives England a welcome return to dominance and will hand them the mental advantage ahead of the Test series, which begins at the same venue in a week’s time. Bangladesh will have some soul-searching to do after the nature of their capitulation, but will be also be able to take heart from some strong individual performances and their efforts to make England sweat at various stages.

Tuesday’s game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore was a template of how, finally, the Indian cricket fan’s experience could match up to the best.

George Binoy at the Chinnaswamy Stadium16-Mar-2010Spectators in India, for too long, have had to tolerate sub-standard conditions•Getty Images

A smooth entry: “Quite long queues, don’t wait too long [to leave for the stadium]” warned a colleague already at the Chinnaswamy. Entering a stadium in India can be an unforgettably unpleasant experience because of aforementioned queues, bottleneck entry points and the slow processing of tickets and security checks by officious policemen.The security was tight today but unobtrusive – spectators got in quickly, past the impressive electronic turnstiles, were frisked smoothly and reached their seats without constantly thinking it would have been easier to watch the game on television. All along the way there were enough volunteers to help with directions and in easing the rush.Don’t bring your own, we’ll give you some: The list of items spectators are forbidden to bring with them is long and all encompassing. You wouldn’t get in with a large flag, or something to create a din with. But the organisers were handing it all out. ‘Cheer kits’, Royal Challenger flags, inflatable noisemakers and more. The props were everywhere and the fans used them. The result was a sea of waving flags and an awful din.F&B: The last time around, even expensive seats at IPL games witnessed an unseemly rush for food, a shortage of water and fights at the wine and beer counters. There’s no liquor on sale this time but plenty of food and beverages – even pizzas delivered to your seat, fairly warm and tempting – and, crucially, lots of free bottled water. That may seem trivial to cricket fans elsewhere but a huge step up from the regular in-stadia food and drink in India.Play the funky music : A clever compere knows how to work the crowd, and picks the right moments to rouse them. Today’s DJ had his moments. In the ninth over Anil Kumble stopped two powerful drives from Ravi Bopara off his own bowling. The second one hurt him and he walked away, calling for the physio to come and attend to his hand. The compere urged the crowd to get behind their captain, beginning the chant of “Jumbo, Jumbo”. It caught on quickly and soon “R-C-B, R-C-B” became the rallying call as Punjab’s openers forged a threatening partnership.He then played his music – theme songs for both Bangalore and Punjab – and repeatedly urged the crowd to cheer whenever the cricket stopped: in between balls, between overs, during time-outs. It was incessant and an assault on the senses of the more sedate cricket fan who’d also want to pay attention to field placements, bowling changes and other minutiae. But if the proof of the pudding is in the eating, there was dancing in the aisles, on chairs, and on some walls too.The local connection: Pick your players with care. Bangalore have made a concerted effort to build domestic talent within their team. They bought Manish Pandey and Robin Uthappa, Karnataka players who were Mumbai Indians in 2008, and when they batted today, the crowd responded magnificently.Admittedly they didn’t have much to cheer for while Punjab were stacking up 203, but there was a terrific atmosphere when Pandey began to tee off. The noise built to a crescendo when Uthappa, at No. 3, overtook Kallis during a game-changing half-century. He felt it too. “It’s a great feeling when you get that sort of backing in front of your home crowd,” Uthappa said. “I feel very much an integral part of the side now [after shifting from Mumbai].”It’s not just television: The IPL’s big bucks come from selling television rights. Ticket sales make up only a tiny percentage of the revenue. However, to achieve their goal of building a fan base for each of franchises, and filling stadiums, the organisers would do well to follow Bangalore’s example. Kolkata already had a faithful following. Not all of the others do.Location, location, location: The modern trend of building stadiums in the middle of nowhere, as in Nagpur and Hyderabad, has its advantages but the Chinnaswamy’s location in the heart of Bangalore puts it right at the top of the pile. Where else in India can you come out of a cricket ground and, within a five-minute walk, be in the city centre? Where else, indeed, is the weather pleasant enough to walk around the square mile of pubs and restaurants?The complaints: It’d also be nice if none of the seats were broken, especially if the ticket costs Rs. 2750.

Pakistan continue to be dogged by injury-concerns in the lead-up to the World Twenty20, as Umar Gul and Yasir Arafat remain doubtful starters for the tournament that begins in the West Indies on April 30

Cricinfo staff12-Apr-2010Pakistan continue to be dogged by injury concerns in the lead-up to their defence of the World Twenty20 crown, as Umar Gul remains a doubtful starter for the tournament that begins in the West Indies from April 30.Gul, who was Pakistan’s top wicket-taker in the previous editions of the tournament, is yet to recover from a shoulder injury he sustained during the team’s rigorous preparatory camp in Lahore.”We are still awaiting word from the experts on Gul and that whether he would be able to play in the Twenty20 World Cup,” Shahid Afridi, the team’s captain, told the .”I hope he gets fit and manages to go with us to the West Indies. He is a top performer in Twenty20 cricket and has done a great job for the team in the last two World Cups. We would certainly need him in the West Indies because the conditions would really help him get a lot of reverse swing there,” Afridi said.Gul is currently the leading wicket-taker in Twenty20 cricket, with 43 wickets in 26 matches, and he was a key factor in Pakistan’s victory in the 2009 edition. He is not the only player struggling for fitness – batsmen Umar Akmal and Fawad Alam are nursing injuries while allrounder Yasir Arafat is laid low by a calf strain.Pakistan are slated to play Bangladesh and Australia in the league phase, on May 1st and 2nd respectively.