Pakistan team leaves for England sans Akhtar

By Rizwan Ehsan Ali

ISLAMABAD, MAY 2. Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar could not leave for England with his team-mates on Wednesday due to upset stomach.

A 16-member Pakistan squad, led by Waqar Younis, left from Lahore on a 54-day trip where it is scheduled to play two Test matches and a triangular series, also featuring Australia.

Shoaib is suffering from dehydration and will undergo some tests in the next couple of days, said Director Operations Pakistan Cricket Board, Brig. Munawwar Ahmed Rana.

Rana did not confirm how long would it take the speedster to get clearance from the medical experts but hoped that he would join the team before the three-day match against Derbyshire which starts from May 9.

Pakistan starts its tour with a three-day game against British Universities at Nottingham from May 4. Rana said that initial medical reports of Akhtar suggested that he had upset stomach due to some viral infection. ``We hope its nothing serious more than that.''

Akhtar has not played competitive cricket since he pulled out of from the fifth one-day International against New Zealand in February. The PCB on Tuesday cleared the controversy surrounding Akhtar by publishing a report of experts from University of Western Australia which said that his bowling action was legal because he has an ``abnormal'' arm.

The PCB also confirmed that Akhtar, who has twice been reported for throwing in international matches, had agreed to remodel his action. But it said the main reason was because he wanted to reduce the risk of injury, not because there was problems in his bowling action.

But the inclusion of Akhtar, who was named in a 17- strong man squad, means the first half of the English summer will certainly not be controversy-free. Akhtar has twice been reported for a suspect bowling action. He was first reported in November 1999 during the Perth Test against Australia when Australian umpire Darrel Hair and Englishman Peter Willey raised objections on his bowling action. The International Cricket Council (ICC) last week confirmed that both umpires would officiate at the first Test at Lords on May 17. Waqar Younis, Pakistan cricket captain, said his team was charged up for the next two months of cricket against England and Australia. ``It is not going to be an easy tour. England has its tails up and I must admit they have played some excellent cricket, a lot better than we have. But I am confident that my boys will rise to the occasion.''

England has won its last three Test series - including wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Its success over the West Indies last summer was its first in 31 years. Pakistan, on the other hand, has lost two home series in 2000 while winning against Sri Lanka. This year, it was held to a 1-1 draw in New Zealand.

``If we have to succeed, we will have to take inspiration from our previous three tours and keep aside last year's defeat in the home series. It's tough, I know, but if my boys are mentally tough, they will do what is expected from them,'' he said.

Pakistan has won on its previous three tours in 1987, 1992 and 1996. The PCB appointed Richard Pybus as main coach of the team and the South African would join the team in England.

lThe team: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice- captain), Saeed Anwar, Mohammad Wasim, Faisal Iqbal, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Abdur Razzaq, Mohammad Sami, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Azhar Mahmood, Saleem Elahi, Imran Farhat. Daryl Foster (bowling coach/consultant), Richards Pybus (coach), Yawar Saeed (manager).

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Section  : Sport
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