JOHANNESBURG, February 12: The Test match between Pakistan and South Africa, under threat because two Pakistani players were mugged, will go ahead on schedule at the Wanderers tomorrow, cricket boss Ali Bacher said.Pakistan captain Rashid Latif had threatened to boycott the match over the mugging incident, which occurred outside the players' upmarket hotel in the wealthy but crime-prone suburb of Sandton last night.Strike bowler Mohammed Akram sprained his ankle, suffered a bad cut to the right hand and took a nasty blow to the ribs in the attack, Pakistani coach Haroon Rashid said. Off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq had a "bad neck" after falling to the ground in the tussle, Rashid said.Bacher, managing director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCB), said that security had been beefed up around the team and the UCB's apology over the incident had been accepted by the Pakistan management. "The match won't be postponed," he said.The injuries occurred when Akram defended Saqlain from threemuggers who held the cricketers at knife point. Personal belongings, including the wallets of the two players were stolen.The incident occurred 20 metres from the team's hotel at 1845 hrs (GMT) yesterday as the bowlers were returning from the Delhi Palace, a nearby Indian restaurant.Akram suffered his hand injury after grabbing for the muggers' knife.Latif, who controversially replaced Wasim Akram as skipper, said he would not allow his team onto the field tomorrow if the two bowlers' injuries left them unfit to play.
