Shahzad gets England call as Broad struggles

STUART BROAD suffered discomfort in his groin during practice at the SWALEC Stadium today and England have called up Ajmal Shahzad as pace-bowling cover for their NatWest Twenty20 squad.

Broad was unable to finish the training session, but an England spokesman explained the decision to call up Yorkshire seamer Shahzad - already in the NatWest Series one-day international squad to take on Pakistan this month - is purely precautionary.

"We are covering all bases, just in case," he said.

"Stuart just started to feel to feel it a little bit after he got started in practice this morning."

Broad will continue to receive treatment, but at this stage is not ruled out of England's first Twenty20 match against Pakistan in Cardiff on Sunday.