Malik confident of making England tour

Shoaib Malik has undergone successful surgery on his elbow to correct his suspect bowling action. He should now be fit for the tour of England later this summer. Malik has been reported twice by match officials in the last two years and has primarily played as a batsman, though he has occasionally bowled. He was reported last in the Test series at home against England last year.

Malik, backed by the Pakistan board, has unsuccessfully argued that his damaged elbow has caused his action to appear suspect but now that he has undergone surgery to rectify it, the problem should not crop up again.

Malik went to Cape Town for the operation, which involved removing floating bones from his right elbow and repairing tissues. He has been advised to rest for six to eight weeks before batting and bowling again.

"I suffered pain in my right elbow while batting or bowling and it was one of the reasons why I had problems extending it properly," Malik told Reuters. "I am happy that this problem is done with now. I am confident I will be fit by the time the team leaves for England in late June. It is a tour I have been looking forward too for a long time."

Malik damaged his elbow in a road accident in 2003 but due to busy playing schedules he has been unable to find time to have the problem seen to. Although he cemented his place as a versatile top-order ODI batsman some time ago - and has now played 117 ODIs - he only recently secured his place in the Test side. Malik has been transformed into a Test opener in the last eight of his 15 Tests and he scored his first Test century - a match-saving one - against Sri Lanka recently.