Inzamam to have surgery on heel

Georgetown (Guyana), April 26: In-form Pakistan batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq is have an operation on the heel of his right foot because of a bone growth. The injury had been bothering him for some time. It aggravated during his match-winning innings at Port of Spain in the third final when he twisted his ankle while avoiding a run.

Inzamam will be rested for the first-class match against West Indies Under-23 starting from Thursday. It is the only four-dayer before the first Test starting here from May 5.

Inzamam said: "The heel has been bothering me for some time. I had been playing in pain for some time with pain killing injections. I can not afford to have an operation now in the midst of the Test series. But I shall have it done immediately after the series is over."

It could mean that Inzamam may miss the Asia Cup or the series in Sri Lanka.

"I will have to see after the tour here how I am fixed up and how quickly I can have an operation," says Inzamam.

The four-dayer here was earlier scheduled to be played at the Everest Cricket Club but has now been shifted to Uitvlugt on the West coast near the Venezuelan border because the Everest Club ground is water logged.

Incessant rain in Guyana have disallowed any practice session to the Pakistan cricket team which arrived on Monday.