Shoaib Akhtar cold-shouldered

Lahore, Nov 14: Paceman Shoaib Akhtar was cold-shouldered by his former colleagues when he was refused permission to bowl at them in the training camp here on Tuesday.

Shoaib, out of competitive cricket for the last seven months, had arrived at the Qadhafi Stadium at around 11.30am and walked straight into the nets.

But soon he was seen walking out of the stadium with his chin down. It was later known that the officials had denied him permission to turn his arm over.

Ironically, several net bowlers bowled at the Pakistan players. It would not have been a bad idea to test the fitness of a struggling bowler billed as quick as Australian Brett Lee.

Earlier, in a brief chat with the reporters, Shoaib said he was on way to recovery. He said he would return to action by mid-December, adding that if India toured Pakistan he would like to be in the playing lineup.