The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has refused to pay for a knee operation for fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in a bid to revive his flagging international career. Shoaib, 34, will have the operation in England next week but the PCB has said he is not entitled to treatment despite being a centrally contracted player.
"There is a clause in the central contract that clearly states that players can only be provided medical treatment by the board when they sustain injuries while playing for the country," a board official said on Thursday. "Since Shoaib has not played for a while for Pakistan we can't cover his medical treatment."
Shoaib has played a handful of tests and one-day matches in the last two and half years due to fitness and disciplinary issues. Shoaib, who has taken 178 test and 223 one-day international wickets, was hoping to play some domestic cricket in a bid to convince the selectors he was ready for a return to the national team. "Unless he plays and proves his fitness he cannot be considered for any future competition," chief selector Iqbal Qasim told Reuters.