KARACHI, 22 January 2005 — Pakistan has ordered injured bowler Shoaib Akhtar back from Australia to get fit for next month’s tour of India, officials said yesterday.
“Akhtar injured himself in the last match on Wednesday and we suggested to the team management that he should return and not play any more because he would have broken down again,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan told AFP.
The 29-year-old’s summoning home was not linked with a claim of sexual assault made against an unnamed Pakistani player during the side’s tour of Australia, he added.
The PCB chairman said no replacement for Akhtar had been sought by the team management. “We want him to get fully fit for next month’s tour to India and have asked trainer Murray Stevenson to give a complete report on his fitness and why he broke down again and again,” said the PCB chief.
Pakistan Management Outraged
by ‘Rape’ Allegation
In Sydney, Pakistan’s cricket management was furious yesterday after an Australian newspaper reported an allegation that one of their players raped a woman in a Melbourne hotel during their ongoing tour of Australia.
“We are here to play cricket and we do not want to do anything inappropriate,” said Pakistan team manager Haroon Rashid, adding that the allegation in the Herald Sun was a massive slur on the players. The Center Against Sexual Assault in a Melbourne suburb told the newspaper that the alleged attack took place in a city hotel, but the woman was not yet prepared to make a complaint to police.
