But
team sources have told Arab News that Pakistan are unlikely to include Akhtar
in their playing eleven for tomorrow’s World Cup Group A match against the
Aussies.
Akhtar,
35, announced on Thursday that he will retire after the World Cup but promised
that till then he will ‘double’ his effort in training in a bid to give his
best for Pakistan in their upcoming matches in the tournament.
He
did take an active part in Pakistan’s training session here at the R. Premadasa
Stadium and at times bowled with quite a furious pace in the nets. But the limp
was still there and it seems that the team management isn’t convinced that he
is fit enough to play against the Aussies.
“His
participation in the match against Australia cannot be ruled out but at the
moment it seems extremely difficult that he would be playing on Saturday,” a
well-placed source said here on Thursday.
Akhtar
was a surprise inclusion in Pakistan’s 15-man squad for the World Cup but he
almost justified his selection by bowling an important spell in the match
against Sri Lanka here last month. However, Akhtar exposed his weak side against
New Zealand last week at Pallekele when he was smashed for 28 runs in one over
by New Zealand’s Ross Taylor. Pakistan lost that match by 110 runs besides
losing confidence in the aging fast bowler.
Sources
said that Pakistan team officials are expecting left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz to
fill in for Shoaib for the rest of the tournament. The 25-year-old Wahab has
played two of the World Cup games but both of his outings were against minnows
– Canada and Zimbabwe.
“The
team management believes that Wahab can do a better job than Shoaib, which is
why he is now in serious contention to be a part of the team’s pace attack
along with Umar Gul and Abdul Razzaq,” said the source.
Pakistan
have also made up their mind to leave out opener Ahmed Shehzad for the game
against Australia and begin the innings with Kamran Akmal. The combative
wicketkeeper has mostly been playing at the number three spot but is now
expected to open the innings with Mohammad Hafeez against the Aussies on
Saturday.
