LAHORE, Jan 5: Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is all set to prove his match-fitness on Saturday (today) as he takes the field for Islamabad against the lowly-rated Abbottabad in their Quaid-i-Azam Trophy (Silver League) tie at the Diamond Club Ground.

"Shoaib is available for the match against Abbottabad and has already reached Islamabad and has assured me of his availability for the match," manager of Islamabad team, Nasir Iqbal told Dawn on Friday. Shoaib, however, did not join the team for net practice on Friday.

It is, however, sad to note that while the controversial pacer is gearing up to prove the selectors wrong on his match-fitness, a factor that apparently cost him a place in the South Africa-bound squad this week, none of the selection committee members will be present to assess his performance on Saturday.

Chief selector Wasim Bari is currently in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj while the other selector Iqbal Qasim recovering from a severe heart attack and is hospitalised. The third member of the selection committee, Ehtesham-ud-Din is preparing to leave for South Africa on Monday to watch team’s performance there.

Sources close to Shoaib say that the bowler is keen to play a couple of matches in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy in order to prove his fitness to the selectors.

Sources added that the selectors wanted the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ to bowl some long spell and his performance will be carefully monitored in the prestigious domestic event.