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Both England and Pakistan have been hit by injuries ahead of their four-Test series opener but former Pakistan captain Imran Khan does not feel this will detract from the battles which lie ahead.

“I think it will be a very interesting series — of course it very much depends on who is fit,” Imran Khan said about the Test rubber starting on Thursday here at Lordís.

“What would make great cricket is if all top players and match winners were available, sadly Pakistan won’t have Shoaib Akhtar who, along with Australiaís Brett Lee, are the great bowlers of the current era.

“But Pakistan can still make themselves into a great bowling attack, even with some key names missing, and if England can get their bowlers firing then it is all set up for a good series,î he stated.

“One thing I would say is that Shahid Afridi has not been used properly by Pakistan — they kept on making him open the batting. But now they have got him lower down the order and he can win a match with his bowling, batting and fielding,î Imran noted.

Imran demanded an apology from British press for calling former Pakistan bowlers — Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis — two of the greatest exponents of reverse swing, cheats. The pair’s ability to make ball dart around through the air aroused suspicion at the time but they were, in fact, trailblazers of what has become a bowler’s most dangerous weapon.

“Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were great bowlers but sadly they got a very raw deal in British tabloids because they didn’t understand reverse swing and they (media) subsequently called them cheats, which I thought was very unfair,” he said, adding, “I do think an apology is in order after what happened to them because now of course everyone understands reverse swing.

“England won the Ashes because of that (reverse swing) deliveries, so when these two great bowlers (Wasim and Waqar) were destroying great teams, I thought in England it was slanderous to call it cheating or even treat it with suspicion; it was art, pace and control of delivery,” said Pakistanís former legend.
Source:The News