Shoaib should have sued, says Imran

Imran Khan admitted on Saturday that had he been in Shoaib Akhtar's place, he would have sued the Pakistan Cricket Board for defamation after they set up a medical inquiry last month. Shoaib, who broke down during the final Test against India, was seen in many quarters as a scapegoat for the series defeat, and Imran reckoned that that just wasn't right.

"Had I been in Akhtar's place I would have sued the PCB for defamation over the medical inquiry," he said at a press conference yesterday. "They [the PCB] have challenged the integrity of Akhtar. He has every right to sue the PCB for defamation. Shoaib had a medical scan from my hospital but the PCB challenged that and now he has medical reports from Durham and they too proved he was injured."

Shoaib could conceivably miss the rest of the county season with Durham after a second bone scan revealed a definite stress fracture in a rib on the lower left side. Shoaib is on a lucrative contract with Durham, but has apparently told them to start looking for a replacement, raising fears that he might not play for the remainder of the county season.

"The fracture is there and it is worrying me," Shoaib said. "I now want to be 100 per cent sure it has healed before I start playing again. I will resume playing only after I get clearance after the next examination in two weeks."