Top form needed to beat England - Woolmer

Bob Woolmer says Pakistan need to be at their best to beat England in the forthcoming Test and one-day series. Woolmer also brushed aside the injury crises which have plagued the team for the series, which starts at Lord's on June 13. "Injuries to some key players are not worrying and we know that, with whatever resources we have, we need to be at our best to beat England in England."

Pakistan, who will play four Tests and five one-day internationals in England, are hit by injuries to fiery fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and medium pacer Rana Naved-ul Hasan, who are in danger of missing out the Test series.

Akhtar recovered from his twin knee operations in February this year but a recurrence of an ankle injury forced the selectors to keep him out of the 16-man team. Rana damaged his groin while playing for Sussex in the English county season earlier this month and is getting treatment from a specialist in England.

"The specialist will assess his position on June 28. If he needs surgery then he will be out of the tour. Akhtar had another scan on Wednesday and there are positive signs of improvement. We will not rush him into international cricket so we will wait and see how his progress goes," said Woolmer.

Woolmer hoped Pakistan, the world's fourth-ranked team, could cope without the two injured paceman. "We can take heart from the fact that we have performed well without these two bowlers in the recent past having won in Sri Lanka, so we have enough resources and all that matters is the positive approach."

The PCB has not announced any replacement for Rana and a 15-man squad will fly out to England where they will wait on Rana's report before taking a final decision. Woolmer said he expects England to bounce back from recent defeats against Sri Lanka

"I expect a huge backlash from England after their recent defeats against Sri Lanka and they are a capable side," added Woolmer, refusing to single out any player who could make a difference. "You see when teams play it's a match between 11 players each side so I don't think about individual players. I hope that my team gives their best."

Woolmer added that the veteran legspinner Mushtaq Ahmed had come into the reckoning for a place on the tour. Mushtaq has not played for Pakistan since 2003 but Woolmer explained: "Mushtaq could be our 16th player and he has pressed selectors hard with his performance in the English season." Zaheer Abbas, the Pakistan team manager, also supported the idea of giving Mushtaq a recall.

Cricinfo adds: The Pakistan team management is likely to be able to take a decision on Rana's injury on June 28 once a re-examination of the injury has been carried out. Woolmer told Cricinfo: "I spoke to him yesterday and he's feeling a lot better. He is doing special exercises given to him by Dr Gilmore (the specialist after whom the injury - Gilmore's groin - is named) but nothing otherwise has changed.

"He is injured still obviously. There is a re-examination on the 28th and the seriousness of the injury will only emerge then. It could turn out to be a week's rest or it could turn out to require surgery."