Rawalpindi Express goes off track

The Pakistan pacer bowled just 10 overs today8212;that too in three spells8212;before a back strain saw him rushing to a hospital for a scan. Later, the Pakistan media manager Ehsan Malik said: 8220;The scan showed no injury to his back or spine, but a muscle spasm was detected.8221; Akhtar8217;s fitness will be assessed tomorrow morning and a call about his availability for the rest of the Test will be taken.

It was that kind of a day for Akhtar, who was expected to be Pakistan8217;s trump card for this game. Things hadn8217;t gone his way from start. The cold and gloomy pace-conducive condition dramatically disappeared today as a sunny morning greeted the temperamental bowler.

He still seemed to be in the mood. He chatted with Wasim Jaffer, imitated Gautam Gambhir as he uncomfortably fended a short ball and did his usual involving-the-crowd act. The only problem was his bowling, as he sprayed the ball all over and very rarely bowled on the stumps. As the disciplined debutant pacer Yasir Arafat showed later, cricket wasn8217;t all about speed.

Akhtar was seen holding his back during the first spell, called the physio for a rub down on the ground and bowled with a belt later. It was Kolkata all over again as Akhtar struggled.

So when he was ruled out, the Pakistan bowling attack was handicapped and skipper Younis Khan was in a spot. The reluctant captain was ditched by his spearhead once again and the scoreboard had a familiar look to it.