Just days after ruffling feathers by not consulting a Pakistan Cricket Board-endorsed physician, Shoaib Akhtar has once again thumbed his nose at officialdom by refusing to play in a Patron’s Trophy match. With the squad to tour India likely to be announced in four days’ time, PCB officials had wanted Shoaib to prove his match-fitness.
A Press Trust of India report quotes sources close to the player as saying that he was “surprised” at the board’s request, since the team’s South African trainer, Grant Compton, had advised him to rest the injury till February 18. Shoaib has apparently sought a meeting with Shaharyar Khan, the board chairman, to explain his position.
The source was quoted as saying: “Shoaib is also surprised at these instructions since even the foreign trainer and physiotherapist would return only on 18 from South Africa, so he (Shoaib) is wondering who is going to assess his fitness even if he plays in the match.”
And to add to the sense of intrigue, the report suggested that the request to play in the Patron’s Trophy was a board initiative meant to shake off any sense of complacency that Shoaib might have. “We also realise Shoaib is a valuable bowler when he is 100 per cent committed,” said an unnamed PCB official. "But his antics in recent times are not acceptable.
“The Board wants to not only ensure he is completely fit for the Indian tour but also keep him under pressure so that he does not take his selection for India for granted.”
Shoaib did little of note on India’s tour of Pakistan last year, but was the pick of Pakistan’s bowlers in recent Test matches at Perth and Melbourne before his well-documented fitness woes returned to zap his effectiveness.
This guy is just getting more and more egoistic…I think we should leave him for the India tour so he should know that he is not always granted a place in the team without proving his fitness.
Aaaah the poor soul must be injured, or maybe he has got a disco to attend, or maybe bad back, bad arm, bruised ego, the possibilities are endless. Who has time to play cricket? The guy has important things to do.
personally i wouldn’t put it past shabi pulling another one of his classic ‘injured’ stunts afterall he is the expert @ faking it. but i don’t understand one thing, if he is injured and told to recover by the team doctors/ physio’s then why is he being asked to ‘prove his fitness’ in the patrons’ trophy??? some ik fishy here!
and wat is taking shabeera toooooooo long to recover, b4 he reported for the latest fitness test wasn’t he ‘3 weeks away from a likely coming back’ and now he is told he needs 4 months rest??? which side is telling the truth
this is crazy, first they fly him back from dwon under ASAP ... then the team physio .... is on the vacation and now the PCB is asking him to play domestic cricket for what!
let that bugger rest and be 100% by March 1st. and we all know he can perform and this time he will have alot of faces to point fingers at.
I sense jealousy in this forum. For most of the people in this forum, their blind hate and jealousy, and envy towards Shoaib Akhtar have made them forget how good of a bowler he is.
^ Yup! Jealousy,,,,,,by Akram - Imran - Waqar - Kadir - Sarfraz {they all were "Caught"
Red-handed} while engaged in despicable behaviors while on tour.
Exempted was Sir Sarfraz Nawaz who was busy ** conditioning a "Local talent"** for his personal domain with the hope of seeding a future "talent"
All the crap about Shoaib Akhter so far is 'Crap' and Scandalous and way out of control
and damaging to his life and career.
Yaar Rainy, please read paki_man’s comment again. He was talking about us (the anti-Shoaib guppies) being jealous of him. Now please do a re-write of your comments
Just thought why is Shoaib sitting out Patron's trophy a news item. Doesn't he normally sit out all or part of every tour or tournament or match he plays? So what's the news here?
“jealousy” “blind hate” 
