Akram, Anwar out of New Zealand series

Pakistan paceman Wasim Akram, opener Saeed Anwar and Azhar Mahmood are injured and have been ruled out of the upcoming three-Test series against New Zealand, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Monday.

"Wasim, Saeed and Azhar Mahmood have been ruled out of further participation. They will be back (home) before the first Test," PCB chairman Tauqir Zia said.

The first Test begins in Auckland on Thursday.

Zia said Akram, who has 409 Test wickets, had a side strain;, Anwar, a scorer of 3,890 runs, had a groin injury; and Mahmood was out with a muscular side strain.

"We have been informed by the team management that the specialists there have confirmed that they can't take the field for at least four to six weeks," Zia said, adding that replacements for the trio would be announced later in the day.

"We are in a fix. We don't know what replacements should be sent because we lack the players of the quality of Wasim and Saeed," he said.

Paceman Fazl-e-Akbar, who has been on standby since Shoaib Akhtar broke down and returned home last week, and uncapped left-handed opener Taufeeq Umer were tipped to be among the replacements.

Akram did not play in Pakistan's defeat by an innings and 54 runs against New Zealand A on Monday, while Anwar did not bat in the second innings after scoring 17 in the first.

Pakistan media have reported continued differences -- which first surfaced a week before the team's departure -- between senior players and coach Javed Miandad, but Zia said this was not related to the latest injuries.

"The players are genuinely injured. I am sure they are not faking the injuries because they know how important this tour is for them and the country," he said.

Zia and team captain Moin Khan are under pressure and have been criticised for their team's 1-0 defeat in the three-Test series against England last year.

Their problems were compounded when Pakistan lost the five-match one-day international series to New Zealand despite scoring 285 in the last match at Dunedin.

Mail Cricket Editor