Shabbir Ahmed in recovery after knee surgery

Shabbir Ahmed, the Pakistan fast bowler, is hoping to return to action in the next two weeks after being treated for a cartilage injury. Ahmed, 28, was sent to South Africa for the treatment, and is optimistic about being fit in time for Pakistan's Test series against Sri Lanka, which starts at Faisalabad on October 20.

"The Pakistan board sent me to Cape Town for treatment and a specialist there did immediate surgery on my right knee," Ahmed told the BBC. "He now says I can recover in two weeks' time. I am very hopeful of making a comeback against Sri Lanka."

However Ahmed, who has been reported three times for bowling with a suspect action, will miss the current triangular one-day series featuring Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.