Malik advised to undergo elbow surgery

Shoaib Malik may need elbow surgery to help correct his bowling action © Getty Images

Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan allrounder, has been advised to undergo elbow surgery in his right arm if he wants to start bowling again in international cricket. Malik, 23, who was reported by the umpires after a one-day match against Sri Lanka in October 2004, has only been used sparingly as a bowler since, though he did bowl in four of the six ODIs against India in the recently concluded series.

According to a report in The News, Malik, who returned from South Africa on Monday after getting his arm examined, has been feeling pain while trying to straighten his arm for bowling. The report said that Joe de Beer and Basil Veretos, the specialists, offered Malik two options - either use painkillers prior to a match, or to go in for surgery. "There are bright chances of solving the problem permanently if the player undergoes surgery," the newspaper quoted them as saying. "However, the surgery is sensitive and the bowler has to spare around three months for the purpose."

Pakistan are scheduled to tour the West Indies for a Test and one-day series over the next couple of months, but thereafter they have no engagements lined up till October. Malik could thus undergo his surgery after the series in the West Indies and regain complete fitness in time to play against England at home later this year.