Pace legend Imran backs Akhtar despite injury by AFP

---

Event:

Pakistan in South Africa 2006/07

---

DateLine: 25th January 2007

 

Former Pakistan bowling great Imran Khan on Wednesday backed fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, saying he should have been kept with the team despite his injury problems.

 

"You keep your match winners with the team and Akhtar's only two bursts put Pakistan in the match winning position in the Port Elizabeth Test," Khan told reporters, referring to the series in South Africa.

 

Akhtar capped his return to Test cricket with a magnificent 4-36 in the second Test against South Africa last week before tearing his hamstring muscle.

 

The 31-year-old maverick fast bowler did not bowl in the second innings of the Test, which Pakistan won by five wickets on Monday.

 

He was due to miss the third Test starting at Cape Town from Friday and was returning home on Thursday.

 

Khan said injury is been part and parcel of a fast bowler's career.

 

"Every fast bowler gets unfit and because of his action and speed Akhtar has more fitness problems but that doesn't mean you don't play him at all. He won Pakistan the most important series against England in 2005," said Khan.

 

Khan was referring to Akhtar's 17 wickets which guided Pakistan to a 2-0 Test series win over England, who had come to Pakistan on the back of regaining the Ashes from Australia after 18 years.

 

Akhtar, however, had to undergo twin knee operations in February last year and missed Pakistan's tours of Sri Lanka and England.

 

His career was also hit by a failed doping test in October last year.

 

Akhtar was banned for two years in November before an appellate committee lifted the ban on the grounds that he took the banned substances unknowingly.

 

To add further woes to his recent injury, Akhtar's verbal spat with coach Bob Woolmer also hit the headlines and the team management fined him an undisclosed sum after a disciplinary hearing.

 

Khan said not selecting Akhtar in the original 17-man squad was a great injustice.

 

"I would blame the selectors for not selecting Akhtar in the original squad and it was the Pakistan cricket chief (Nasim Ashraf) who selected him and sent him as replacement.

 

"When I was the captain I selected unfit leg-spinner Abdul Qadir for the tour of England in 1987 and paceman Wasim Akram for the West Indies tour a year later, simply because they remained with the team and got fit."

 

Khan, who played 82 Tests for Pakistan before switching to politics, said Akhtar's verbal spat with Woolmer was his reaction for not being selected.

 

"He (Akhtar) would have been angry on not being selected in the first place, so he would have lost his temper."

 

Pakistan Cricket Board announced Akhtar and another paceman Umar Gul, who on Wednesday returned home from South Africa after injuring his ankle, would start rehabilitation before the World Cup in the West Indies starting from March 13.

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)