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KARACHI: A four-member Pakistan tennis squad left for Manila from Lahore on Tuesday evening to play the Asia Oceania zone group II second round rubber against the Philippines, slated there from April 6-8.
The team shows one change with Jalil Khan regaining his place in the quartet at the expense of star player Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, who, according to sources, is nursing a knee injury.
The other three members in the team are Pakistan No 1 Aqeel Khan, Yasir Khan and Mohammad Abid Mushtaq. Veteran Davis Cupper Mohammad Khalid will be accompanying the team as a non-playing captain.
Abid made his Davis Cup debut in the first round tie against Lebanon which Pakistan won 3-2 in February.
In the absence of Aisam, Pakistan faces a Herculean task against Philippines. “The team has been weakened due to non-availability of Aisam,” admits Aqeel while talking to Dawn from Lahore airport before boarding the flight.
He said: “Philippines have improved a lot and it would be tough to beat them on their soil”.
The trip, he added, would however, provide an opportunity to the other members of the team to hone their skills as have to shoulder the burden in future.
