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Shoaib blow

AFP, Lahore
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar pulled out of Pakistan's upcoming tour of India on Friday saying it would take him at least a month to recover from a hamstring injury.
"I am disappointed to say that I have pulled out of the tour of India because my hamstring injury would take anotherfour to five weeks and I don't want to play half fit," Akhtar said.
His pullout will further weaken a depleted Pakistan bowling attack with two other frontline pacemen, Shabbir Ahmed and Umar Gul, already ruled out of Pakistan's first tourof India in six years.
He denied the decision was linked to a 500-US-dollar fine handed down by the Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday for a disco outing during the recent tour of Australia and three other counts of indiscipline.
"No, I have nothing to say on the penalties, I don't want to have breakdowns on the tour," said Akhtar, who broke down during the
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Sydney Test last month and twice in the tri-series before returning home.
Akhtar, regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in cricket alongside Australian Brett Lee, said he would still try to play the one-day series scheduled for late March and early April.
"I have informed the Pakistan Cricket Board of my decision and will inform them as soon as I get fit so if the team needs me at that stage I am available.
"I would love to play the one-day series provided the team needs me."
Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq said the team had the capacity to cope with Akhtar's absence.
"If he (Akhtar) is injured than we can't do anything about it and will have to use the available bowling
resources like we did in the tri-series in Australia."
"Mohammad Sami is there and he will have to come up and show improvement, the rest of the bowling is not weak at all," said the Pakistan captain.
Pakistan reached the finals of the Australian tri-series without Akhtar earlier this month.
The 29-year-old, who suffered the injury during Pakistan's tour of Australia last month, aggravated it while training two days ago and consulted former players and specialists before reaching a decision.
"I am a fast bowler and face such injuries. But this is an honest assessment that I can't be fully fit and that I need time to get match fit before I play on an important tour like India," said Akhtar.