December 07, 2007	Friday	Ziqa'ad 26, 1428

KARACHI, Dec 6: Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif is expected to be out of action for two more months after surgeons in Australia recommended that he needs to have corrective surgery for his nagging elbow problem.

The Pakistan Cricket Board sent Asif last week to Sydney to consult a sports medicine specialist after the pacer failed to recover from an elbow strain to make the Indian tour last month.

”We have got a detailed report from the surgeon in Sydney and he has recommended surgery for which he has been given a go-ahead,” a board official told on Thursday.

Asif will have the corrective surgery on Monday after which the board reckons he could be out of cricket for two months as part of his rehabilitation process. “But the proper position would only be known after his initial check-up soon after the surgery,” the official said.

”But the surgeon believes two months is required for the healing process to be completed,” he said.

Asif missed out on the ongoing Indian tour because of the elbow injury and in November also sat out from four One-Day Internationals against South Africa in the home series.

The talented pacer who has taken 51 Test wickets last year also missed out on three Tests in England and had to be sent home because of the same elbow issue and missed the 2007 World Cup as well. “It is an injury that has plagued him for a while now and we want to have a permanent treatment for it. As he is one of our main bowlers and we have a hectic international schedule next year,” the board official said.

He said the board, if required, would also get expert opinion on Umar Gul, who recently returned from India without playing in the first two Tests because of a back strain.

The fear is that Gul might have had recurrence of the back stress fracture he suffered in 2004 and which kept him out of cricket for nearly 18 months.—Agencies