Shoaib agrees to inquiry

Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that he would be available on April 26 to appear before the four-member medical commission formed to enquire whether the injury Akhtar suffered during the final Test against India at Rawalpindi was genuine or not.

Agreeing to Shoaib’s proposal, a PCB official said Shoaib’s brother Shahid had conveyed to the Board that he was returning on April 26 from Mumbai. Board sources said in light of the fresh information from Shoaib, the medical commission is now likely to meet on April 26 or 27 to interview him. ‘‘The indication given has been that the Board should schedule its medical commission meeting either on the 26th or soon after as Shoaib has to report to English county Durham by May 1,’’ a local daily quoted PCB officials as saying. Shoaib had earlier informed the Board he would not be able to attend the commission hearing tomorrow as he had prior commitments in India. The commission will also interview Moin, Gul, Razzaq and Shabbir who were ‘injured’ in the series.