December 31, 2006	Sunday	Zilhaj 09, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

KARACHI, Dec 30: Darryl Cullinan, the former South African batsman, has expressed his surprise at Shoaib Akhtar’s exclusion from the Pakistan squad for the forthcoming Test series.

Cullinan, speaking during the second Test between South Africa and India at Durban, said Pakistan might regret the decision to leave behind Shoaib because the conditions (in South Africa) would have suited the temperamental fast bowler.

“Frankly, it amazes me to hear that Shoaib won’t be coming here with the Pakistan team because the conditions in South Africa suit fast bowling,” Cullinan, now a cricket commentator, observed.

The Pakistan selectors while naming the 17-man squad on Friday remarked that Shoaib was not ‘match-fit’ for the tour and still needed time to regain form and fitness.

But Cullinan, who played 70 Tests and 138 One-day Internationals between 1993 and 2001, said the South Africans should not fear Pakistan’s bowling in the absence of Shoaib.

“Shoaib would have made life awkward for Graeme Smith’s team since he is an out and out fast bowler. The pitches in South Africa usually favour express bowlers and Shoaib is definitely one of them. I don’t think the South Africans will lose much sleep when Pakistan arrive here,” he remarked.

Shoaib, the 31-year-old from Rawalpindi who has claimed 165 Test wickets and 208 in 133 one-dayers, has not added to his 42 Test caps since appearing in the Karachi Test against India almost 11 months ago. His last ODI appearance was at Nottingham against England on Sept 8.