Date:07/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/07/stories/2008050761092200.htm

Sport - Cricket

Shoaib Akhtar arrives in Kolkata

Principal Correspondent

Akhtar will try and help his side win some games
He reposes faith in his captain Sourav Ganguly

KOLKATA: Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar wasted little time after seeing his ban suspended and arrived in the city to join the Knight Riders on Monday night.

Visibly delighted at his reprieve, Akhtar said he would give his best to see to it that Knight Riders was back to winning ways.

“I will try to help my side win some games,” he said on his arrival at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport here. “I am in shape to get back into action any time,” he added.

Akhtar said he had regularly been watching his team’s matches at home. “I did not watch the matches of other sides, but I made it a point to watch my team’s performances,” Akhtar said.

He reposed faith in his captain Sourav Ganguly, saying: “he is a match-winning captain. He knows how to utilise match-winners.”

The string of losses for Knight Riders notwithstanding, Akhtar said Ganguly had done a good job so far.

Akhtar said Eden Gardens was auspicious for him. Referring to the eventful Test against India in 1999 where he figured prominently in Pakistan’s win he said: “This is the ground where I became Shoaib Akhtar.”

He expressed hope that he would be able to contribute successfully at the same venue in his team’s upcoming matches.

On Tuesday, Akhtar was put to test, when he bowled a few overs with good pace as the team played a practice match.

No action yet

Meanwhile, coach John Buchanan said Akhtar would not be considered for the team’s next encounter against Bangalore Royal Challengers here on Thursday. “Given that he (Akhtar) has not played for a while, he won’t be considered for Thursday’s match,” Buchanan said on Tuesday.