BIRMINGHAM, Sept 11: Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar believes fatigue was the main factor behind Pakistan’s lackluster display in the last of the two One-day Internationals in the five-match ODI series against England which ended at 2-2.

The tourists dominated the early games of the series before England won the final two matches to claim an unlikely share of the series.

Shoaib, who was forced to miss the final match at Edgbaston due to a knee injury, said on Monday that the hectic international schedule was taking its toll on the players.

“The main problem for the boys in that final game, maybe the last two games that we lost, was tiredness,” said the 31-year-old.

“I haven’t been on the tour all through so I am not in bad shape as far as that goes but for the boys who have been here in England all through, it’s been a very long tour for them and it started to get to them mentally and physically, I think.”

“You could see the guys were fatigued and didn’t have the same energy as in the first couple of matches. Everybody is mentally tired, there has been a lot of cricket and some controversy along the way and it takes its toll eventually,” said the fast bowler.

Commenting on England’s captaincy debate for the Ashes series scheduled in late November, Shoaib said that Andrew Strauss appeared as the wiser choice, insisting that all-rounder Flintoff should not be over-burdened.

“My personal opinion is that Strauss wouldn’t be a bad call,” he told Bigstarcricket.com. “I don’t mean anything against Freddie (Flintoff) but he is coming back from an injury. Freddie’s a middle-order batsman, he opens the bowling, he stands at slip and to be captain as well is asking a lot.

“I know from personal experience that it takes a few games to get your rhythm back. The best man should captain the team and if Freddie was fit he should have carried on, but in these circumstances Strauss is the man.”—Agencies