PCB denies report on Akhtar

PCB denies report on Akhtar
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

London, May 16: Pakistan cricket administrators have denied reports that express paceman Shoaib Akhtar was removed from the tour game against West India A due to suspect bowling action and said he was omitted only because of injury, British media reported on Tuesday.

Notts' cricket chairman Stuart Foster contacted Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday, after reports in a Sunday newspaper that ICC has demanded Akhtar's withdrawal from the playing eleven after viewing the film.

Foster was assured that Akhtar's absence was only due to a ``side strain'' and it would keep him out of the two Test matches scheduled for the next fortnight.

However, if the injury is so minor, the county officials are surprised how Akhtar has already been ruled out for the two Tests and they would like him to go to Nottingham immediately for treatment, The Daily Telegraph reported on Tuesday.

``It's difficult to understand, if the film was made, how it's taken a fortnight either for ICC to assess it or for the Pakistan Board to acknowledge it,'' Foster said.

Clive Rice, former South African captain and currently Nottighamshire's cricket manager, said: ``This whole thing should have been resolved by ICC in December when it first came out.''