Pakistan Puzzle - No Way of Knowing Who Will Be In Shape For Test



Georgetown - True to form, Pakistan's build-up to the Test series that starts at Bourda tomorrow is shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

Over the past few days, reports of injuries and general unfitness that are likely to eliminate such key players as Abdur Razzaq, Saqlain Mushtaq and Inzamam-ul-Haq have been contradicted by first-hand evidence, so that it is impossible to know who will be in the 11 and who won't tomorrow morning.

The only ironic certainty is that some will be there who have defied high authority to be ready to do their stuff.

It is as if Judge Mohammed Qayyum's still unreleased report on match-fixing and bribery, that has named at least two members of the present team, and the International Cricket Council's advisory committee on throwing, that recommended a corrective suspension for the rapid Shoaib Akhtar, hadn't existed.

On Tuesday, team physiotherapist Dan Kiesal reported that Razzaq, the impressive 20-year-old all-rounder, had strained a muscle in his right leg at practice the previous day and had been ordered to rest.

'We're giving him therapy and exercise but I am not really sure if Razzaq can recover from this injury in time,' Kiesal said.

Yet Razzaq was seen bowling, with no apparent discomfort, at net practice at the Everest Sports Club ground yesterday morning.

Team manager Briga-dier (retired) Khawaja Mohammed Nazir told the local media that off-spinner Saqlain, flown out to the Caribbean two weeks ago after being treated in England for dehydration and fatique, was still not fit enough to be considered for a five-day Test.

Those who know Saqlain as a high-quality bowler who has 110 wickets in his 25 Tests reported that he was below par in the four-day match against the West Indies Under-23s that ended Sunday.

The brigadier's comment might have been an early indication that the tall, flighty Arshad Khan was the likelier of the two off-spinners to be chosen.

The manager also confirmed that Inzamam, the massive right-hander with over 4 000 runs in his 61 Tests and an average of 44, will need an operation at the end of the tour to remove a bone spur on his left heel that had bothered him for some time.

Inzamam aggravated the problem during his studied, unbeaten 39 that won the decisive third final of the One-Day series at Queen's Park Oval on Easter Sunday and needed the aid of a runner for much of the innings.

Coach Javed Miandad said yesterday that Inzamam had batted in the nets and trained with no discomfort. He did not believe in any way it was a gamble to play him.

Even so, if Inzamam is again incapacitated with the same ailment, as he was in Port-of-Spain, Pakistan could hardly expect the West Indies, under the law, to be sympathetic in allowing a runner or a substitute.

The only sure Pakistani no-show for tomorrow is likely to be Saeed Anwar, the brilliant left-handed opener with nine hundreds and an average of 46 in his 46 Tests.