CAPE TOWN, Feb 21: England captain Nasser Hussain is on course to play in the ‘must-win’ game against Pakistan here on Saturday after shaking off a neck problem.

Hussain, who missed the team’s second Group ‘A’ game against Namibia, came through a net session here on Friday.

“He felt a lot better this morning when he woke up,” England coach Duncan Fletcher said. “He had a very long net and is very confident of playing tomorrow.”

Hussain had been suffering from a stiff neck.

Fletcher said one-day all-rounder Ian Blackwell had “improved considerably” after complaining of a bad back and would undergo a fitness test before Saturday’s encounter.

Left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, who missed England’s matches against Holland and Namibia because of tonsillitis, was also in better shape.—Reuters