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Former captain Moin Khan was held back hours after being told to rush to Bangladesh as cover-up for wicketkeeper Rashid Latif.

The chairman of selectors Wasim Bari admitted Tuesday that the tour management had sent out an SOS. "But after we chose Moin, the team management called from Chittagong and said Rashid was fit to complete the tour," he told reporters.

Moin, whose last appearance was as captain in March, was booked on 5.30am flight to Dhaka Wednesday so that he could make himself available for back-to-back matches.

Earlier in the day, director of the PCB Brig Munawwar Rana said Moin would replace Rashid whose exact nature of injury was unknown. "We are not sure what his injury is. We received an SOS from Dhaka Tuesday morning.

"Rashid is returning on the first available flight. We also want to give him proper rest before the series against the West Indies," he said.

The chairman of the PCB Lt Gen Tauqir Zia said: "The tour management wanted a replacement. But after we saw Rashid Latif keeping wickets, we inquired what the injury was, as he looked fit. We haven't heard from them as yet." However, the General denied that a group of senior players were against Moin's inclusion. "That's not true. In fact, the players like Moin and want him in the team."

Pakistan team returns from Dhaka on Jan 26 and leave for Sharjah on 28 where the first Test begins Jan 31. The series ends on Feb 17 with the third one-day international.

Moin has appeared in 190 one-day internationals, 34 as captain, scoring 2,853 runs with nine half centuries. He has played in 65 Tests, 13 as captain, aggregating 2,493 runs with three centuries and 15 half centuries besides accounting for 138 batsmen behind the wickets.

© Dawn