04 February 2005	Friday	24 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Feb 3: Former Test captain Mushtaq Muhammed declared that Shoaib Akhtar was not vital for tour of India and the national team could do better without him.

Talking to the reporters on Thursday Mushtaq believed discipline was key to the success and he (Shoaib Akhtar) had no self-control and discipline in him.

Mushtaq stressed that there was no need of unfit and undisciplined bowlers when there were so many young pace men Pakistan could try during the high profile tour of India. Criticizing Shoaib's attitude during the tour of Australia, Mushtaq said without Shoaib the world was not going to end.

He further said that the young and new bowlers should be given chance in the forthcoming tour of India and maintained that youngsters Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Kamran Akmal and Taufeeq Umar were good prospects for the future.

About the chances of Pakistan during the tour of India he said that if Pakistan could play all the three finals in Australia than it would boost the team's confidence and moral for the upcoming tour.

"Playing all the three finals means that you have to win at least one and going to India with two wins over world champions will give much needed boost in confidence," Mushtaq added.

Former all-rounder opined that no one knows what would be the conditions of pitches in India but added that both the teams would have fifty-fifty percent chances. "If Pakistan manage to beat India in the very first match then they would have edge over the arch rivals," he said.

Mushtaq on the issue of captaincy believed that there were not many options at the moment but urged Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to groom a youngster having eight to 10 years of cricket to lead in future. -PPI