Shoaib back in Test squad

Injuries force selectors to send SoS; Yousuf too will be missing because of wife8217;s operation

Pakistani cricket selectors today were made to eat humble pie as a spate of injuries forced them to call up fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for the three-Test series in South Africa.

The selectors, who had earlier sidelined Akhtar on the grounds that he was not match fit, issued an SoS to him after seamer Umar Gul was ruled out of the first two Tests with an ankle injury. The first Test starts in Johannesburg from Jan 11.

A senior official of the Pakistan board PCB confirmed that Akhtar would be flying out to Johannesburg tomorrow to join the team at the request of the team management.

8220;He has been sent purely on the request of the team management who were worried after the spate of injury problems in the team,8221; the official said.

He said the team management wanted either Akhtar or Shabbir Ahmed as back-up for Gul. 8220;The selectors decided to send Akhtar as he has bowled well in the domestic matches,8221; the official said.

Akhtar appeared in just one first-class match of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy since not being selected for the South African Test series by the selectors who said he lacked match fitness since being cleared of a doping charge and having a long-term ban set aside by an appeals tribunal of the board. Akhtar and Mohammad Asif are now both on the tour.

Akhtar8217;s only first-class appearance since the team left for South Africa was against a weak opposition, Abbotabad playing its first season in the grade one competition.

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He took four wickets in 13 odds over in the first innings and one wicket in the second innings in eight overs and this was enough to convince the board Chairman Nasim Ashraf, who visited the ground to watch Akhtar bowl in Islamabad, that he was match fit. Pakistan will also be without record breaking batsman Mohammad Yousuf who amassed 1788 runs last year with nine centuries and Shoaib Malik who is nursing a knee injury.

Yousuf could end up missing the first two Tests as his wife was pregnant and was to undergo a ceasarian operation.

Meanwhile, a senior PCB official said that Gul could face an inquiry if it was confirmed he hid the ankle injury when the team was being selected for the South Africa tour. The official said that Gul had not been able to bowl in the three-day game in Kimberly currently underway because of his injury.

8220;He will be examined by professionals before the first Test begins from Thursday. And if it is confirmed he has carried the ankle injury then it is professional dishonesty,8221; he said.