Champions Trophy: Umar's replacement Haris vows to perform his best against India

Karachi [Pakistan], May 24 (ANI): Left-handed batsman Haris Sohail, who has been included in the Pakistan's Champions Trophy squad as replacement for unfit Umar Akmal, has insisted that he is ready to give his all in the tournament opener against arch-rivals India. Earlier, Akmal was recalled from England and was removed from the Champions Trophy after he failed to clear two fitness tests during the eight-team tournament's preparation camp in Birmingham. On Tuesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) called Haris, left-handed batsman Umar Amin and right-handed batsman Asif Zakir at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Lahore to participate in the fitness test, where Haris was adjudged the best among the trio "based on the reports submitted by the trainer". The 28-year-old, who last played an ODI for Pakistan in May 2015 during Zimbabwe's landmark tour to Pakistan, said he was very happy to make a comeback to the national side. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Middle-order Batsman Haris Sohail is delighted on his return to the national team for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CT17?src=hash">#CT17</a>. We wish him the very best. <a href="https://t.co/8mdUwSMUD0">pic.twitter.com/8mdUwSMUD0</a></p>&mdash; PCB Official (@TheRealPCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/867003374365003776">May 23, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> "I will try my best to play my role in the team's success," Express Tribune quoted Haris as saying. Pakistan open their Pool B campaign with a high-voltage game against arch-rivals India in Birmingham on June 4. Speaking about the high-octane match, "Every player wishes to perform well against India." "If I get a chance to play against India, I will surely try my best to put up a good performance against them," he added. In the 22 ODIs he has played for Pakistan, Haris has scored 774 runs at an average of 43 with a strike rate of 82.86. In the same number of ODIs, he has bagged four wickets with his left-arm spin. After the India clash, Pakistan will play South Africa (in Birmingham on June 7) and Sri Lanka (in Cardiff on June 12). (ANI)