KARACHI, Dec 31: Former bowling greats on Sunday criticised the dropping of paceman Shoaib Akhtar from Pakistan’s 17-man team for the South Africa tour starting next week, saying it would reduce pressure on the hosts.

Pakistani selectors said Shoaib lacked fitness for a five-day Test despite bowling 21 overs in the four-day Patron’s Trophy match and featuring in the Twenty20 Cup tournament in Karachi.

“There must have been some compelling reasons to keep a bowler like Shoaib out of the team, reasons we don't know,” former Test skipper Imran Khan said.

The Pakistan team will leave on Tuesday and open the tour with a three-day game against South Africa ‘A’ at Kimberley from Jan 6, before playing the first Test at Centurion from Jan 11.

Imran, who played 82 Tests for Pakistan and was among the world's top four all-rounders in the 1970s and 1980s, said it was tough to keep a match-winner like Shoaib out.

“It is tough to keep a fully fit Shoaib out of the team – he is a match winner. If selectors feel he is not fit, then they must watch him in a match, and if found fit he should be sent on the first available flight,” said Imran.

The 31-year-old Shoaib has not played for Pakistan since a one-day match against England three months ago. He was banned for two years, and fellow paceman Mohammad Asif for one year, last month after both tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in October.

However, a Pakistan Cricket Board appellate committee overturned the bans earlier this month on the grounds that both did not take the banned substances knowingly.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has challenged the decision and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is likely to hear WADA's appeal this week.

Imran’s former new-ball partner, Sarfraz Nawaz, said Shoaib’s exclusion had eased pressure on South Africa.

“Now with Shoaib not in the team, South Africa will prepare fast pitches, as there would be little pressure on them,” said Sarfraz, who played 55 Tests for Pakistan.

Sarfraz, who groomed Shoaib in his early days, said he would personally watch Shoaib play a first-class match soon.

“I am told Shoaib is playing a first-class match this week and I will personally watch him, and if I find him fit then I will expose all the selectors,” said Sarfraz.

Former medium-pacer Aaqib Javed said questioning of Shoaib’s fitness was surprising to him.

“I watched Shoaib bowl in the Twenty20 Cup and I saw no reason to question his fitness, but I think selectors have different ways,” said Aaqib, who played 21 Tests for Pakistan.

“But having said this, I expected Shoaib to be 100 percent fit after he missed cricket due to the doping issue.

“I think the selectors should have still sent him and waited for the second and third Test, because you need to have match-winners in the squad, as it keeps pressure on the opponents.”—AFP