February 12, 2007	Monday	Muharram 23, 1428

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KARACHI, Feb 11: Pakistan’s World Cup campaign is in total disarray even before the start of the ninth edition of the mega event, which is just four weeks away, and the million-dollar question confronting the national selection committee is how to find the best 15 cricketers to represent the country in the West Indies.

The spate of injuries and a four-match ODI ban on Shahid Afridi and fear of possible life bans on dope-tainted fast bowling pair of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif has obviously upset all plans that Wasim Bari, the chairman of selectors, and fellow selectors Iqbal Qasim and Ehteshamuddin have in mind before the Feb 13 ICC deadline.

The happenings both on and off the field on the South Africa tour, which winds up on Wednesday, have only served to exacerbate the problems for both the team and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The latest news to ravage Pakistan cricket, came on Sunday when it was revealed that Shoaib Akhtar is suffering from an injury to his left knee that could take about four weeks to heal.

According to first-hand reports, Shoaib has been advised to have scans to find out the extent of damage to the knee for which the charismatic fast bowler had gone surgery a year ago.

Pakistan must be prepared for the worst if the scans point towards the injury being much more serious and requiring surgery. In that eventuality Shoaib’s slim chance of playing in his last World Cup could be non-existent.

Apart from Shoaib, Pakistan’s options are further depleted by injury concerns to fellow frontline pacemen Umar Gul, Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammad Sami.

Shoaib, who was forced to return home — after being flown out as a late replacement — with a hamstring injury during the first innings of the second Test in Port Elizabeth, was involved in a publicized spat with team coach Bob Woolmer.

Pakistan’s performance on what has been otherwise an ill-fated tour of South Africa is cause for concern. The manner in which they capitulated in the fourth One-day International in Cape Town on Sunday was obvious that the team is lacking in confidence.

One can’t recall when the last time when so many players reported unfit. The man who has benefited most from this calamity is forgotten all-rounder Azhar Mahmood, who was not even among the original list of 30 probables. But now he has emerged as a contender for the World Cup after being sent to South Africa as one of the replacements.

It is needless to say that Pakistan as usual do not have a proper crop of backup players to jump at the opportunity in times of need. In fact, according to some this important facet was deliberately not allowed to flourish in the post-World Cup 2003 period for obvious reasons.

Now that his best days are well behind him, Inzamam-ul-Haq is only soldiering on because he is the captain and, in PCB hierarchy’s view, the best man to lead the side to the World Cup.

It’s a huge gamble the PCB has dared to take by gambling on a man whose form and fitness are questionable — Inzamam will be 37 before the Word Cup starts — without realizing the impact it will have on Pakistan’s prospects.

For Bari and company, the World Cup selection will test their nerves as they put their heads down in their final assignment as national selectors.

Probable squad: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Younis Khan (vice-captain), Imran Nazir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Yousuf, Yasir Hameed, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Abdur Rehman.