Speedster Shoaib Akhtar's bout of "illness" during the crucial fourth one-dayer against India is "disturbing" the Pakistan team management which desperately needs the bowler to be in top form for the deciding fifth and final one-dayer against India in Lahore on Wednesday.
Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and coach Javed Miandad were apparently upset over the latest illness to their strike bowler as they explained his absence from the field in the middle of India's run chase in Lahore on Friday, according to a report in the daily 'The News'.
| |||||||||||
Miandad had a similar explanation: "he came off the field and complained of having a blackout and dizziness. He rested for a while and then came back but was not at his best."
Sources within the team were quoted as saying Inzamam and Miandad were not happy over the incident.
"It is not the first time this has happened in the middle of a series. What is irritating is that even the team doctor and trainer have no explanation for why he suffers these sudden spell of dizziness or black-out," sources said.
"If there is something wrong with him he should get a permanent and proper treatment instead of it happening in a match which is disturbing for the team," they said.
Shoaib had bowled superbly to get the vital wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and V V S Laxman early in the Indian innings but he struggled in his subsequent spells going for over seven runs per over as India scripted a five-wicket win to level the series 2-2.
© 2024 Rediff.com -