Akhtar & Asif out of World Cup

Pakistan’s dangerous pace bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif have both been ruled out of the World Cup due to injury.

Chief Selector Wasim Bari said in a media conference that “Akhtar and Asif are both out due to injury and we have decided to replace them with Yasir Arafat and Mohammad Sami.”

“Their injuries will take another two weeks to heal so after consultation with (captain) Inzamam-ul-Haq, we have taken the final decision. The Pakistan team is capable enough to deal with this critical situation,” Bari added.

There were details coming out that if Akhtar and Asif travelled with the Pakistan squad to the West Indies for the World Cup, they would have been subjected to an immediate drug test following their positive tests last year.

International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed said cricket had been “greatly embarrassed” by the drama while Australian batsman Matthew Hayden said it was “ludicrous” Akhtar and Asif were included in the Pakistan 15-man squad in the first place.