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Ramesh Powar, the offspinner from Mumbai, will join the Indian one-day team in Pakistan as cover for Harbhajan Singh, who is nursing a finger injury.

Powar has only played two one-day internationals, but both were in Pakistan on India’s last tour there in 2003-04. His offspin failed to fetch any wickets, but he gave a hint of his batting prowess with a quick 11-ball 18 during a tough run-chase at Rawalpindi. Powar has been a force with bat and ball in first-class cricket, scoring 2471 runs from 68 matches at 32.94, and taking 246 wickets at just over 25. India lost the first of the five-match ODI series, but with a four-day break before the second match, Powar should be in the reckoning for a place in the XI for the second game, on February 11 at Rawalpindi.

Harbhajan injured the forefinger of his right hand a couple of days before the first ODI at Peshawar. That gave opportunity to Murali Kartik, the other specialist spinner in the squad, but he had a forgettable game, going for 64 runs in nine overs.

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