Injury-free Sohail Tanvir targets regular place

Sohail Tanvir, the Pakistan fast bowler, has said he is happy with his recovery from the back injury that affected his form over the past six months. Tanvir was a regular with the Pakistan limited-overs sides in 2008 but has struggled to hold down his place in 2009.

He burst onto the scene at the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 but was out of sorts in the second edition earlier this year. "A damaged disc in my lower back caused me great discomfort in my lower back and hamstring areas," he told PakPassion. "It was a frustrating time for me and an injury that we couldn't diagnose during the tournament.

"My body wasn't right in England and the injury had affected my self-belief. The injury was of course a physical one, but it affected me mentally too."

Tanvir said the injury forced him to opt out of the Sri Lanka tour which followed and has been working out at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore to get back to full fitness. "The strength sessions at the NCA have helped me and I'll be back at the NCA next week to continue my work with the medical staff there."

The Twenty20s against New Zealand in UAE earlier this month were his first international games in five months. He turned in a couple of steady performances and was satisfied with his fitness. "I felt no recurrence of the back injury. The ball was coming out of the hand nicely, I felt I had good rhythm against New Zealand and bowled pretty well."

The emergence of Mohammad Aamer and the return of Mohammad Asif has made competition for fast bowling spots intense, but Tanvir was hopeful he would be picked for the tough tour of Australia starting next month.