LAHORE, May 5: Shaharyar M. Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), armed with the findings of medical commission, on Wednesday met paceman Shoaib Akhtar reportedly to give the bowler complete picture of what led to the appointment of commission and related cricketing issues.
The PCB appointed the commission after reports that Shoaib's injury in the third Test at Rawalpindi against India was not genuine. The bowler was informed that the PCB had received commission's report and the chairman asked a few questions from Shoaib to get him to clarify some doubts raised by the commission.
The decision to form the commission is seen by many as an eyewash the PCB had resorted to following Pakistan's defeat to India in both ODI and Test series. The medical commission's findings are likely to be announced in a couple of days.
PPI ADDS: Jonathan Lewis, skipper of English county Durham, has backed Shoaib Akhtar in his problem with the PCB, even though it means Durham's bowling attack is being deprived of its best strike bowler.
Durham slumped to defeat at Middlesex and have only one win - in National League against Nottinghamshire - to their name this season. But while Lewis would desperately like to have Shoaib available against Sussex in Cheltenham and Gloucester Cup, he accepts his overseas signing needs to resolve controversy surrounding his international career first.
He said: "Not having Shoaib available is a big handicap for us. He is our overseas strike bowler and leads our attack when he is playing. "Our bowling is relying too heavily on likes of Liam Plunkett and Graham Onions, who only have a few first-class games under their belt.
They are very talented players, but are having to take too much of strain at the moment. "But we support him (Shoaib) in what is going on in Pakistan. He needs to resolve that first. We expect it to be a matter of days rather than weeks."
