Lahore, Apr 29: Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif, himself embroiled in a controversy with the PCB for suggesting that the fourth one-dayer against India was ''fixed'', has come to the defence of express bowler Shoaib Akhtar and said he had never let team down on the field. Latif, against whom the Pakistan Cricket Board is planning to take disciplinary action even as the former player maintains that the board has no locus standi to initiate any proceedings against him, added it was also required to be found why allegations of faking an injury had come up against Shoaib.

''Shoaib has played a lot with me and also under my captaincy. I have not known him to run away from challenges when playing for Pakistan. In fact I don't think any player while playing for the country can fake injuries or such things as everyone wants to perform to the best of his ability for his country,'' Latif was quoted as saying by a local daily here. His defence of Shoaib comes a day after Pakistan's World Cup winning skipper Imran Khan spewed venom on the PCB for forming a medical inquiry committee to probe into the injuries of the bowler and other players who suffered injuries during the recent series against India.

Recalling an incident that highlighted Shoaib's commitment to the team's cause, Latif said, ''In 1998 in South Africa when I was captain I witnessed Shoaib playing in the series even though his knees had developed fluid and before every game doctor Dan Kiesel used to drain out the fluid with syringes so that he could play.''


Bureau Report