Shoaib lacks fitness and commitment: Malik

Pakistan Fast Bowler Shoaib Akhtar

After a humiliating defeat in the second ODI against Sri Lanka, Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik has questioned Shoaib Akhtar's fitness and committment, after the pacer failed to impress on his comeback to the national side after 14 months. Sri Lanka yesterday came back with a bang and thrashed the hosts by 129 runs at

Lahore, Jan 22, 2009: After a humiliating defeat in the second ODI against Sri Lanka, Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik has questioned Shoaib Akhtar's fitness and committment, after the pacer failed to impress on his comeback to the national side after 14 months. Sri Lanka yesterday came back with a bang and thrashed the hosts by 129 runs at Karachi to level the series at 1-1.

Malik also hinted that he wanted Akhtar to be dropped for the series decider against Sri Lanka, to be played here on Saturday.

''He (Shoaib) lacked fitness and commitment,'' Malik was quoted as saying by 'The News' .

The 33-year-old Akhtar, who took his first step of his comeback trail in the first one-dayer against Lanka on Tuesday, which the home team won by eight wickets, went wicketless and had figures of 1-45 in six overs in yesterday's game.

The fast bowler though appeared promising in his first over but never really threatened the visiting batsmen later in the game, which has put question marks over his selection in the playing XI.

However, Malik fumed that Akhtar's performance was not up to the mark.

''He (Shoaib) is not performing well,'' stated the captain, adding that the controversial fast bowler has failed to justify his inclusion in the playing XI in the presence of young pacers - Sohail Khan and Yasir Arafat - in the 15-man squad.

''The commitment was certainly lacking.

''I believe that youngsters should be given a chance because that is the only way to move forward,'' added Malik.

Malik also went on to say that any changes to the line-up for the final and the deciding one-dayer will be made after consulting coach Intikhab Alam and a few senior players.

It's more than a year since Shoaib has played an ODI. He last played against India in November 2007 in Gwalior. However, he made a comeback to the one-day squad during the series against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi last November, but was forced to miss all the three games there because of fitness problems.



-- (UNI) -