West Indies tour of Pakistan still on

The West Indies tour to Pakistan in January next year is still on and hopefully it will not be affected due to tense situation presently prevailing between Pakistan and India.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director Brig Munawar Rana while answering queries Thursday said that the board had not received any signal from the West Indies cricketing authorities, showing any reaction over the present situation between the two neighbouring countries.

The PCB director said that hopefully the current situation in the region would improve by the time the Caribbean would begin their tour.

West Indies is touring Pakistan from Jan 25 to March 7 to play three Tests and as many one-day international matches.

Regarding Shoaib Akhtar issue with the ICC on his bowling action, the PCB director said that the bowler's action would be examined by the international umpires and referees for the next six months.

If Shoaib Akhtar is not called again during this period by any umpire or referee, the bowler would be cleared of the allegation of chucking, he said.

The ICC has instructed the PCB to modify the bowling action of Shoaib Akhtar by the former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding.

The PCB could not implement the instructions, citing financial hurdles as main reason for their inability to hire Holding's services.

The Board is contesting the case of Shoaib Akhtar on a report of theUniversity of Western Australia which had certified that Akhtar was born with an abnormal upper limb and it would always give the impression of an unorthodox position during delivery and no practice or technique training can modify these two anatomical characteristics, therefore, he should be permitted to bowl for Pakistan without further concern as to his action.