Lahore, July 21 : Pakistan national selectors have been asked to include axed young left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan, who is considered to be an ideal replacement for the banned Mahammad Aamir, in the T20 squad for the upcoming World Cup.

The Mathra-born cricketer made a comeback to the Test side in the recently concluded tour of Sri Lanka and earned a lot of accolades from the cricketing fraternity for his superb bowling on flat tracks and picking up
14 scalps in three matches at 21.78 including two five-wicket hauls.

According to The Nation, Pakistan Cricket Board chief Zaka Ashraf should reconsider selectors' decision and should replace Mohammad Sami with Junaid who will prove beneficial for Pakistan against the Australians, in their series in the United Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, Junaid said that people questioning his form and fitness before the tour, put him under pressure.

"A lot of people started discussing my cricketing career and put me under a lot of pressure and was scared before the series. I had also heard of Sri Lanka conditions that don''t favour fast-bowlers like they help the spinners. So all this made my return very difficult," The Nation quoted him, as saying.

Junaid also earned praise from Lankan legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara who were stunned by his bowling skills and improvement in speed and swing, the paper said.

A source close to Junaid confided that pacer had received offers from different counties to play for them, but was awaiting permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board to accept any of them. (ANI)