LAHORE, March 1: Chief selector Wasim Bari on Thursday said he was disappointed with the exclusion of fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif from the World Cup squad although he waited till the very last moment for a written medical report to arrive on their fitness.

"After a certain point, Inzamam told me there is no chance of both players getting fit before the big show in the Caribbean and we should not risk their futures by forcing their inclusion in the squad,” said Bari, a celebrated wicketkeeper of his time. “Inzi was of opinion that even if the two bowlers gained fitness on the eve of the mega event, there is no surety that they would sustain the pressure of the gruelling 48-day tournament in the West Indies," he said.

Asked why he preferred all-rounder Yasir Arafat over talented medium-pacer Shahid Nazir who also featured on the reserves list, Bari said there was no binding on the selectors to choose a replacement from reserve players only.

"Yasir has been doing very well in the domestic season and he also performed well in county cricket. Therefore, he deserves a place in the squad," said Bari.

The former skipper, however, was diplomatic when asked why Yasir was ignored in the first place when the five reserves were named for the Cup. "Look, I consulted with Inzamam on the replacement and the idea to recall Yasir was preferred under the circumstances. So it was a unanimous decision," he said.

Commenting on the chances of Pakistan in the World Cup, Bari was more realistic. "It is a hard fact that when you lose your key players in such a big event, your chances are somewhat affected," he said. "I feel that now the responsibility is more on the batsmen and I think Inzamam-ul-Haq will have to lead from the front to make an impact," he said.

Bari said that if the batsmen piled up a good total of around 280 plus in matches, the bowlers would have a fair chance of bringing victory to Pakistan. “Inzamam, Younis and Yousuf can be a handful for any attack and if all-rounders Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and openers Imran Nazir and Mohammad Hafeez get going, the oppositions will be really in for a tough time.”