Pakistan paceman Akhtar out of South Africa Test series
Reuters - 18 December 2002
Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been ruled out of the two-Test series against South Africa with a knee injury.
The Pakistanis, trailing 3-1 in the one-day series in South Africa, are also without paceman Wasim Akram who has opted out of the series to prepare for the World Cup.
“Shoaib has suffered a recurrence of a knee injury and he has been advised to return home and get proper treatment,” the acting director of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Zakir Khan, told Reuters.
“No decision has been taken as yet on the replacements for Wasim or Shoaib.”
With Shoaib and Wasim returning home after the one-day series, Pakistan are left with just 14 players for the Test series that begins on December 26 in Durban.
**Shoaib has been a major force for Pakistan this year taking 42 wickets in seven Tests at an average of just 17. **
Khan said the first priority of the board would now be to ensure Shoaib was fully fit for the World Cup, also in South Africa starting in February.
“Shoaib will undergo a rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the PCB medical panel once he returns home.”
The fast bowler has suffered regular injury problems this year and also missed the first two one-dayers against South Africa
Yes, i agree!! This idiot is nothing but just a hero cut. Looking at the pitai of the Pakistani team he thought “me tu nikloon patli gali se, bhaar me gayee Pakistani team”
Wait and see how many others will walk out of the test series.
PCB is crying for money latley, and how much money have they spent on this guy????? I mean the players fitness should be the responsibility of the player. Shoiab is unfit more than he is fit. He thinks of himself as a great player.Playing 2 out of 10 matches and performing well in one of them does not make you great. I think PCB should try and bring someone else in his place.
I hope he never comes back, he is all show and mouth, when Pakistan needs him he is nowhere to be seen. He breaksdown more often then the number of balls he bowls in a match. I only have one word for him . PATHETIC
[QUOTE] Originally posted by ehsan: *
I hope he never comes back, he is all show and mouth, when Pakistan needs him he is nowhere to be seen. He breaksdown more often then the number of balls he bowls in a match. I only have one word for him . **PATHETIC*
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We'll need him there in the World Cup. He wastes the new ball but coming on after Wasim and Waqar he can be devastating. All you guys who are hoping that he's not there, I can guarantee the rest of the teams will be hoping the same thing.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
We'll need him there in the World Cup. He wastes the new ball but coming on after Wasim and Waqar he can be devastating. All you guys who are hoping that he's not there, I can guarantee the rest of the teams will be hoping the same thing.
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I would rather have a guy who can play the whole tournament rather than the guy who breaks down after every match or every 2 overs.
Well assess his fitness before the tournament and make the decision then. We have plenty of seam options if he's not fit, it's worth taking him along unless he's diagnosed as being unfit to play.
Shoaib will rightly be part of the World Cup squad on devastation potential alone assuming he is fit. Not many can wreck the creme de la creme batting line ups such as Aussies like he can when he’s in full flow. He’s being sent home from SA to give his troublesome knee a chance to recover for the one that matters: the World Cup. Zahid, Sami and the rest aren’t in the same class.
Shoaib’s all action style and over-straining for speed means his career was always going to be short but spectacular. Andha, medium pacers are ten-a-penny, but guys like Shoaib who can wreck a batting line up in one hurricane spell are like gold dust. You as an Indian should know that yaar
you are right that they should have given Zahid a chance as well (today was the ideal opportunity) but that's a seperate issue as to whether Shoaib should go to the World Cup. Zahid was a fine prospect once but he's not the same bowler either since his back injury a few years ago as far as I know.
as Ehsan Bhai Said... I will prefer a consistant fit medium pacer than Unfit,inconsistant Fast bowler.
being a good student of cricket u should know it. ;) ;)
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Consistent fit medium pacers will still get tonked out of the ground at will by the great batsmen like Tendulkar and Waugh. In the big matches though we have seen in the past where the midget maestro Sachin has seen his stump turning somersaults under the Akhtar onslaught ;)
you are right that they should have given Zahid a chance as well (today was the ideal opportunity) but that's a seperate issue as to whether Shoaib should go to the World Cup. Zahid was a fine prospect once but he's not the same bowler either since his back injury a few years ago as far as I know.
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True but ever since he came back he never got a regular chance due to this part timer shoaib. I guess you will agree that we are not looking for adhoc solutions. We need a regular bowler. Despite all of heroic i still think Shoaib dont sererve to be a part of Pakistan's regular team till he is 100% fit. We dont want more joy trips now.
Take the example of Lee. Australia dropped him consistantly until he became 100% fit and now he is doing more than what shoaib is doing for Pakistan.
oh by they look even look at Zaheer Khan he was not that good in the start but now he is getting groomed just because he is getting chance to play regularly (and of course he has talent). He he been in and out just because of another super start in India's team tu is k haal bheee Zahid wala hota bal k shayed uss say bhee bura coz still Zahid is much more faster than Zaheer
NW, let me tell you about Brett Lee. Australia dropped him at the right time and replaced him with a medium pace no-hoper called Michel (I can't even remember his first name). Lee was back for the 3rd test though because Aussies know they will need REAL stars for the big one, not some dime-a dozen medium pacer.
For the world cup we can have any amount of MF trundlers as reserve if Shoaib is unfit but I guarantee you the Pak management will include Shoaib in the WC squad unless he is injured - just look at the way they are crawling after Saeed now that the ordinairy stand-ins have failed to come up to scratch at the top level.There's an old saying in sport and I stand by it:
