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'Shoaib should skip West Indies tour' - Waqar

Waqar Younis feels that Shoaib Akhtar should skip Pakistan's forthcoming tour of West Indies

Cricinfo staff
30-Apr-2005


Shoaib Akhtar: Will he? Won't he? The debate rages on © Getty Images
Waqar Younis feels that Shoaib Akhtar should skip Pakistan's forthcoming tour of West Indies and thinks he needs to regain his fitness before harbouring thoughts of a comeback. Shoaib missed the entire tour of India owing to a hamstring injury but his fiery form in Pakistan's Twenty20 domestic competetion made him a contender for a place in the touring party.
Waqar, though, thought that Shoaib's selection for the tour could jeopardise his career. "Look he's not 100% fit," he told The News, a Pakistan based daily. "He has clearly put on weight and if he plays at the international level in this condition he is risking chances of damaging his hamstring or groin as his legs would have to carry all the weight while bowling.
He also felt that Shoaib needed to tone down his body weight considerably before thinking of returning to the international fold. "My advice," Waqar continued, "is that he should skip the West Indies tour, train hard, shed a few pounds, go and play county cricket and then come back to the Pakistan team. There is no doubt he is a matchwinner for Pakistan but unless he pays attention to his fitness he'll always face problems which is not good for him or the team."
The national selectors are scheduled to pick the squad on May 2 for the West Indies tour that includes three one-dayers and two Tests.