Shoaib Akhtar comes back for second Test

Pakistan express bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who has been cleared twice of throwing, will replace injured all-rounder Wasim Akram for the second Test against Bangladesh starting on Wednesday.

Pakistan team doctor Riaz Ahmed said on Tuesday he had advised Akram to rest after the left-arm pace bowler suffered hamstring pain during the first Test in Dhaka.

"We will replace Akram by Shoaib who is coming back to his own rhythm," coach Mudassar Nazar said reporters.

Pakistan defeated Bangladesh in the first Test by an innings and 178 runs in Dhaka on January 11 with two days to spare.

Skipper Waqar Younis said batsman Faisal Iqbal was likely to be included for the second Test in place of Younis Khan, who scored 112 against Bangladesh 'A' in the three-day tour match.

"Younis Khan is definitely a good batsman but, as part of our preparations for the West Indies series in Sharjah later this month and next year's World Cup in South Africa, the team management plans to groom up some youngsters," Younis said.

"We need some more youngsters for the coming series and the World Cup.

"We are confident of winning the series, both the Tests and the one-dayers comfortably. The win will boost our morale before we head for Sharjah."

Bangladesh manager Shafiqul Hoque Heera said Mohammad Ashraful, who has been selected for the under-19 World Cup starting next week in the New Zealand, would probably be replaced by Tushar Imran. Imran hit a double century against an Indian junior team late last year.

Both teams will be announced on Wednesday morning.

Teams:

Bangladesh - Khaled Mashud (captain), Javed Omar, Al-Shahriar, Mehrab Hossain, Habibul Bashar, Aminul Islam, Tushar Imran, Sanwar Hossain, Enamul Hoque, Fahim Muntasir, Khaled Mahmud, Monjurul Islam, Mohammad Sharif, Hasibul Hossain.

Pakistan - Waqar Younis (captain), Rashid Latif, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Taufiq Umar, Faisal Iqbal, Yousuf Youhana, Naveed Latif, Faisal Iqbal, Saqlain Mushtaq, Danish Kaneria, Shoaib Akhtar, Muhammad Sami, Abdur Razzaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Shadab Kabir.

Mail Cricket Editor