04 June 2004	Friday	15 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

KARACHI, June 3: Shoaib Akhtar is now almost certain to miss next month's Asia Cup after the Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday directed the selectors not to consider the 28-year-old fast bowler.

"We have received a guideline from the PCB that Shoaib should not be considered for the Asia Cup so that he recovers from his rib-cage stress fracture injury," Wasim Bari, the chairman of selectors, said.

Shoaib, who on Monday claimed four wickets in a match-winning spell for Durham against Derbyshire in a National League fixture, won't be invited for a training camp that is scheduled to begin in Lahore from June 20.

Four other current players playing on the English county circuit, Kent's Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria of Essex and Gloucestershire's pair of Shoaib Malik and Shabbir Ahmed have been asked by the selectors to return home by middle of June.

The Asia Cup, which has been revived after a period of four years, features defending champions Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the two qualifiers, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates, to set to start from July 16 in the Sri Lankan cities of Colombo and Dambulla.