Karachi: A thigh injury has ruled out Pakistan fast bowler Junaid Khan from the two forthcoming one-day clashes against New Zealand and raised a question mark over his World Cup participation.

Pakistan authorities have confirmed left-arm quickie Junaid would be replaced by Bilawal Bhatti for the matches in New Zealand January 31 and February 3.

Junaid was injured in a fall during training last week, complaining of pain in his right thigh and elbow, reports stuff.co.nz Saturday.

“On re-examining Junaid’s condition, Pakistan’s physiotherapist Brad Robinson and PCB’s head of medical and sports sciences Sohail Saleem concurred that he had not recovered sufficiently from the traction injury of the nerve in the posterior right thigh and recommended recuperation at the NCA,” a Pakistan Cricket Board spokesperson said in a statement Saturday.

“Subsequently the left-arm fast bowler was withdrawn from the New Zealand tour.”

Pakistan’s chief selector Moin Khan, however, said Junaid would rejoin the World Cup squad if he recovered on time.

Meanwhile, disgraced Pakistan paceman Mohammad Aamer could return to first-class cricket as early as next month after a relaxation of the conditions of his ban for spot-fixing.

Aamer, 22, was banned for five years along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif in a spot fixing case in England in 2010, and the trio were jailed by a UK court in 2011.

The paceman was interviewed in Lahore Friday by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the governing body revised the players’ code of conduct in November last year, adding a provision that allows a banned player to play in domestic games a certain period prior to the end of the ban.

The change of rules prompted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to file an appeal with the ICC to relax certain conditions of Aamer’s ban last year.

A final decision on Aamer’s appeal will be taken in ICC Board meeting in Dubai next week.

A PCB spokesman confirmed Aamer’s potential return.

“It is most likely that Aamer will get reprieve to play domestic cricket,” said the spokesman Agha Akber.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan last week said Aamer will be monitored in first-class cricket before returning to international cricket.

His five year ban expires in August this year.