Shoaib fined for 'erratic behaviour'

Shoaib Akhtar has been reprimanded by the Pakistan Cricket Board and fined US$500 for displaying "erratic behaviour", after appearing before a disciplinary committee to answer charges that he had violated his PCB contract.

"We have heard Mr Shoaib Akhtar at length and have gone through the record placed before us," said the PCB in a statement. "We are of the considered opinion that this is a case, at the most, of indiscipline. It seems that [Shoaib] has taken the Code of Conduct very lightly and has displayed erratic behaviour."

The statement added that the PCB hoped Shoaib would abide by the Code of Conduct in future, and "behave in the best interest of cricket and Pakistan". The committee was chaired by Justice Amir Alam Khan and included Abdul Salam Khawar, Maqbool Elahi Malik and Syed Asghar Haider, the PCB's legal adviser. This hearing took place a day before the Pakistani selectors sit down to pick the team that will tour India.

Wasim Bari, Pakistan's chief selector, told the media on Monday that Shoaib was still carrying a niggling injury and needed all the rest he could get in order to be fully fit for the series against India. "Akhtar has informed me that he still carries a niggle and needs time to recover," AFP quoted Bari as saying.

"I have conveyed to him that Pakistan needs a fully fit Akhtar for the important India tour," added Bari. "We have requested the Pakistan Cricket Board to provide us a full fitness report on each player so that we can decide on the team when we meet on Friday."

However, Bari said that he hoped Shoaib knew what he was doing. "It's his own decision not to play [in a domestic match to prove fitness], it's for his own good that he attains full fitness through a match, because his reputation as the spearhead is at stake."

But Pakistan have more fitness worries than just Shoaib. Mohammad Sami and Mohammad Khalil, two other fast bowlers, both picked up injuries during Pakistan's recent tour of Australia and are in the process of recovering. Shabbir Ahmed, who is recuperating from a knee surgery, and Umar Gul, who is suffering with a stress fracture, have been ruled out of taking any part in the Indian tour.