Shoaib to miss training camp

Shoaib Akhtar's latest fitness concern, a skin problem, has ruled him out of Pakistan's training camp for the World Twenty20, coach Intikhab Alam said.

"The doctors have advised Shoaib Akhtar at least 7-10 days of rest and he will not be the part of the training camp," Alam told AP from Bhurban. Pakistan's six-day training camp, to be held at a mountain resort, will begin on Thursday.

The World Twenty starts on June 5, and Alam was hopeful Shoaib would be available for the tournament, where Pakistan are in Group B along with the Netherlands and host England. "I hope he will be fully fit before the all-important event," he said.

A host of injury problems have combined to restrict Shoaib's appearances at the international level over the past six months. He missed the one-dayers against West Indies in Abu Dhabi last October due to a calf injury, while a knee problem ruled him out of the Tests against Sri Lanka earlier this year.

Shoaib did play the entire limited-overs series against Australia in the UAE over the past month, but he was nowhere near his best, taking three wickets at 50.66.