Controversial fast bowler Wasim Akram will Join the Pakistan team in South Africa ahead of the third •Test. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Khalid Mahmood said on Sunday, according to a newspaper report from Karachi.

The News quoted Mahmood saying that the former captain, now training with his English county Lancashire, would Join the team two days before the third Test starting at Port Elizabeth on March 6.

He said Akram had confirmed his fitness to the board. "I received his (Wasim's) fax on Saturday. That was followed by another letter from Lancashire confirming that the pacer has regained complete fitness.” Mahmood said.

Wasim was left out of the original squad after allegations of betting and match-fixing. Tour officials also claimed Wasim was injured although the exact nature of his injury was clouded in mystery.

News of Akram’s likely joining the team in South Africa however surprised chief selector Salim Altaf. "I have no idea how and who selected him," he said. "I feel that it's the domain of the selectors to pick or drop a player."

Altaf said, he did not feel the team needed a new player in South Africa. "All the players are fit and delivering the goods."

But Khalid Mahmood said, Wasim had been picked following a board decision that he would be told to Join the team in South Africa as soon as he felt

he was fit. T don't think Wasim is a player on whose selection a lot of debate was required," he

Wasim has appeared before a parliamentary committee as-

WASIM AKKAM signed to investigate the allegations. But the sub-committee of the Senate has not yet cleared Akram of the allegations, committee member Iqbal Haider said. "We have not cleared him. not in the least and. as far as 1 know, the board was conducting its own investigations and they too haven't cleared him either." Haider said.

Meanwhile, another report from Durban suggests, the Pakistan tour management had no official word on this develop-

ment back home till late Sunday evening. Manager Asad Aziz told that so far he had not been informed anything about Wasim Joining the team in Port Elizabeth by the PCB although he had spoken to the board secretary Waqar Ahmed on Saturday.

We have no such information, but the last time I spoke to the board official, they asked me about the possibility of sending Wasim to Join the team and I had conveyed the tour management's feeling that firstly it was up to the selectors to decide whether to send Wasim or not and secondly that no player should be sent back to accommodate him."

"The Board discussed with me about Wasim joining the team when he was available and I conveyed to them, that he should come in as am additional player and not as a replacement. so that we have to send someone back home." Asad Aziz disclosed he had informed the board that the tour management would not like to see any player being sent back home, since the spirit in the camp was excellent and the youngsters accompanying the team in particular were learning a lot.

"The atmospnere in the camp has been very, very good, with Rashid Latif Aamir Sohail and Waqar Younis doing a satisfactory job in maintaining a disciplined, friendly but fighting spirit in the team."

Asad Aziz did not have any idea whether the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) would provide hospitality to 17 players and three officials, once Wasim joins the team in Port Elizabeth.