Akhtar, 35, wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, 29, and fast-bowler Umar Gul, 26, were tested after a practice session on Wednesday by the International Cricket Council’s drug inspectors, said team manager Intikhab Alam.
Akhtar, recalled for the World Cup after being out of action for a major part of the last three years due to a spate of injuries, tested positive for a banned drug nandrolone in 2006. There was further trouble for Akhtar after he and fellow pacer Wahab Riaz were fined $42 each for returning late from a private dinner on Wednesday night.
“We want players to follow team rules,” said team manager Intikhab Alam. “The two have been warned not to keep late nights in future.”
Pakistan face England in a warm-up match in the Bangladeshi town of Fatullah today, a game the ageing Akhtar needs to perform in to make the team for their World Cup opener against Kenya on February 23. Akhtar did not bowl against Bangladesh on Tuesday with coach Waqar Younis admitting he had yet to regain full fitness.
Broad steers clear of Pakistan
Meanwhile, England fast-bowler Stuart Broad admitted he was keeping his distance from Pakistan as the teams prepared for their first meeting since the ‘spot-fixing’ scandal.
Today’s warm-up match in Dhaka will see the two countries resume their rivalry following last year’s series in England which was overshadowed by spot-fixing allegations that led to bans for Pakistan trio Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.
Relations between the sides plumbed new depths when England’s Jonathan Trott and Riaz were involved in a physical confrontation ahead of an ODI at Lord’s in September.
“We’ve not seen a huge amount of them in the hotel – we’ve not been going out for dinner with them,” said Broad. “Obviously it was a tough summer for us last year, all England players will say the same.
“We enjoyed playing the cricket, but off-the-field incidents did damage our wonderful summer,” admitted Broad. AFP
Raina almost misses flight
India’s Suresh Raina gave his team anxious moments when he overslept and missed the bus carrying the players to Chennai airport at the start of the World Cup journey. Raina was absent when the squad left the hotel to travel to Dhaka where India clash with Bangladesh in the tournament opener tomorrow. Raina rushed to the airport in a taxi and was able to join teammates just as they were boarding the flight.
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis
“Akhtar is not in touch at the moment. If he gets it right against England in the next warm-up game [today], he is obviously our first-choice bowler.”
India captain MS Dhoni
“I told him not to cross a few boundaries. If you want to irritate someone that should be the opposition and not your side. You should not get too personal with a player.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2011.
COMMENTS (5)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ