| Player: | Shoaib Akhtar, Iftikhar Anjum |
| Event: | ICC World Twenty20 2009 |
DateLine: 21st May 2009
Pakistan has pulled fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar out of next month's World Twenty20 tournament in England due to injury, the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Thursday.
"We have pulled him out of the World Twenty20 on the basis of a medical report on his groin injury," the PCB said. Iftikhar Anjum has been named as replacement for him.
Fitness concerns have continued to plague the 33-year-old bowler, who skipped the squad's conditioning camp for the World Twenty20 and was not featuring in any of the three practice matches. Akhtar managed just four Twenty20 matches last year due to fitness and discipline problems. He was dropped from the team after he managed to get just one wicket in the two One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka in February. Despite his problems, Akhtar had been named in the 15-man squad for the 12-team Twenty20 event starting from June 5.
Pakistan are placed in Group B alongside hosts England and the Netherlands.
