Re: Pakistan’s tour to India/Akhtar Fined.(Merged)
Shoaib is named in the Pakistan XI fund raising match against the Rest of Pakistan on Monday by the PCB, lets see if he plays or not…
GEO news alert:
** I AM NOT FULLY FIT TO TOUR INDIA - SHOAIB AKHTER.
Shoaib may rule himself out of India series…**
KARACHI: Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistan’s senior most fast bowler, is contemplating making himself unavailable for the tour of India, following fitness problems and differences with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over a fine of $500 dollars imposed on him on disciplinary grounds.
The 29-year-old, who is recovering from a hamstring strain, well informed sources said, could rule himself out of the coming series as he was not happy with the treatment being meted out to him by PCB.
Shoaib is due to appear in one-day fitness trials on Saturday (tomorrow) before the PCB appointed foreign trainers and physiotherapist to assess his fitness for the Indian tour.
Other pacers Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammad Khalil would also appear in these trials which are being held on the same day when the national selection committee announces the touring squad for India.
Shoaib was on Thursday fined $500 dollars by the PCB disciplinary committee after they found him guilty of violating some clauses of his central contract by visiting a nightclub in Australia.
“Firstly, Shoaib is not happy as PCB has attached a stigma of indiscipline to his name when not even the team manager Haroon Rasheed has reported him for any indiscipline on the (Australia) tour. And secondly, he is worried about his fitness because he has had some more problems with his hamstring and for the last one week, has not been able to get proper attention because of the absence of foreign trainers who have gone on vacations with coach Bob Woolmer,” the source disclosed.
Shoaib, who has taken 144 Test and 186 One-day International wickets, the source said, would take a final decision on making himself available for the tour before the fitness trials. The fast bowler is contracted to PCB by signing the central contract till June this year.