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The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Dr. Nasim Ashraf, has taken a serious note of players’ fitness problems during the ongoing tour of South Africa and has asked for an inquiry to deal with the matter.

“The PCB chief is surprised the way players got unfit and he wants to know the reasons why they (players) suffered major injury problems. We believe an inquiry into the matter will serve the purpose,” said Saleem Altaf, the Director Pakistan Cricket Board Operations at a news briefing here on Tuesday. PCB Director Media, Dr Ahsan Malik was also present.

Saleem said the PCB chairman has directed that all out measures should be taken to avoid such situation in the World Cup which will start next month.

“We will soon be launching an inquiry into this matter to now why and how such big number of injuries and fitness problems took place,” Saleem added.

Express bowler Shoaib Akhtar, pacers Umar Gul, Shabbir Ahmed and all-rounder Shoaib Malik had to fly back owing to injuries and fitness problems.

“We do not want a repeat of such incidents in the World Cup and we will be taking some measures in this direction,” explained Saleem.

Answering a question, he said the team performed good in the Test series but their performance in the one-day series which just began was not good but he was confident that the team was capable of making a comeback as four matches were left in the series.

After losing the Test series 2-1, Pakistan tasted heavy defeats in the Twenty20 Cup by 10 wickets followed by a 164-run defeat in the first ODI.

The PCB official said doping test of twenty players of the 2007 World Cup probables will be conducted on Feb 16 after the team’s arrival from South Africa.

Saleem revealed that the national team will attend a six-day training camp here from March 1st before leaving for the West Indies for the World Cup.
Source:The News

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