February 05, 2007	Monday	Muharram 16, 1428

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LAHORE, Feb 4: Medium-pacer Shabbir Ahmed, who has been relieved from the Pakistan team due to fitness problems will reach home on Monday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to announce his replacement on Monday.

It could either be Rao Iftikhar or all-rounder Azhar Mahmood.

However, according to sources Rao Iftikhar is the first priority since he is already one of the World Cup probables while Azhar, despite an excellent good performance for Islamabad enabling them to reach the final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, will be given second preference.

Shabbir, who was surprisingly selected for the ODI series against South Africa, despite not having played in any of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy matches for Multan, is reportedly facing groin trouble.

His short-lived stay in South Africa which lasted just seven days, is a clear indication of how unfit players are being sent on important tours.

Earlier, an unfit Shoaib Akhtar was also sent, who could only bowl in one innings of the second Test before suffering a hamstring injury and finally returned home. There are also reports that unfit Umar Gul and Shoaib Malik were picked when the team left for South Africa on Jan 3.