Shoaib Akhtar Photo © Paul McGregor

He bowled just 17 overs in the five-match one-day series between Pakistan and New Zealand. And then he broke down all of a sudden!

His spell of 6.3 overs in the first one-dayer at Auckland produced five wickets. He remained wicketless at Napier, missed the intervening two matches due to injury, only to come back strongly at Dunedin, although he was reported for `throwing' in that match.

It was just the beginning…..and alas it proved to be the end! At least, for the time being.

Shoaib Akhtar Photo © Paul McGregor

Shoaib Akhtar was out of cricket for almost the whole of 2000. The last time he played was against the West Indies, but only during the tri-angular one-day series featuring Pakistan-West Indies-Zimbabwe. He did not take part in the WI test series due to fitness concerns. As for test matches, he hasn't played in one since the last match of the home series against Sri Lanka in March 2000.

In his career, Shoaib has often gone into a match without being fully fit, unable to last out for a whole series after taking part in an odd match or two.

Shoaib Akhtar Photo © AFP

This is exactly what happened in New Zealand. He had opted to go on tour after reporting fit to the selectors without appearing in more than one domestic match. Many allege he was not fully fit. Once there, he had to justify his selection by taking part in the first one-dayer at Auckland. He was only in his second over in the second ODI at Napier when he limped off after recurrence of a groin injury. This prompted him to sit out the next two matches, only to appear depleted in the fifth at Dunedin. He took two wickets for 67 in the nine overs of that match, but the way he bowled those overs, especially the last few of them, was not a pleasant sight to behold.

Shoaib's frequent limping off the ground - sweat all over his face, hat in one hand and the other nursing a painful leg, has become only a too familiar sight for the cricket lovers in Pakistan. They desperately want to see the Rawalpindi Express come steaming down his track and cast his deadly spell on the batsmen. And that too on a consistent basis or at least more consistently than they have seen him so far.

Now the latest controversy! The two home umpires, Doug Cowie and Steve Dunne, officiating the last one-dayer, reported Shoaib for a dubious action in their post match report.

Shoaib Akhtar Photo © AFP

Watching the match on that fateful day, I also felt there was something wrong with Shoaib's action. In spite of all my reservations, I must agree with the two umpires. However, at the same time, I feel that Shoaib bowled the last few overs under severe agony. One needs to recall him bowling those last overs using a much shortened run-up. This was clear indication that the man was not fully fit, and was having to put in extra effort to cope with stress and yet generate some pace. I feel this may well be the reason he bowled with an unusually bent arm. At the same time one cannot condone him or his captain for allowing this. Simply, he should not have done so.

Now, with the speedster back home, it is up to the Pakistan Cricket Board to give long and considered thought to this matter. If left unattended or if attended to in an unprofessional manner, it can cost Pakistan the loss of a precious bowling resource in the form of Shoaib Akhtar.

The foremost matter of concern is the fitness of any player. It is common knowledge the speedster has been working well with the physio/nutritionist Tauseef Ahmed. Thus it is not out of place to suggest the two come together once again and work until the man in question regains full fitness. I contend, however, once back and reported `fit', it is again up to the PCB to ensure that Shoaib does not return to the international cricket until he has proven his full fitness by playing some regular domestic cricket. It is the ignorance of such basic `principles' that have led to the current `de-railing' of the Rawalpindi Express.

The second matter of concern is the allegation of `throwing' leveled against him. The PCB has appointed a three-man panel of ex-test cricketers, Mohsin Kamal, Iqbal Sikandar and Ijaz Faqih to check and review the suspect bowling action in the next six weeks. This panel has studied the video provided by the ICC but have asked for more detailed footage from more angles before making their recommendations. One must laud the PCB's quick decision to send him to Australia for further technique and three-dimensional action analysis to work out any discrepancies.

According to the ICC's rules on suspect actions, if the bowler in question is reported again in the next 12 months, the cricket's elite body will appoint an expert to help the bowler in correcting his action. Even if after the second step the bowler is reported again in the next 12 months, the home panel will return into action and assess whether to clear or ban the bowler from future commitments.

Meanwhile, the former captain and icon of Pakistan cricket, Imran Khan, has reportedly offered his services to the board to help Shoaib in rectifying his action. While expressing his dissatisfaction over ICC's handling of illegal deliveries, he said, "I can't say if Akhtar's bowling action is suspect or not, but if PCB calls me for help, I will surely help Akhtar."

With help coming from virtually all quarters – I'm quite sure that likes of Boycott and great fast bowlers of yore like Michael Holding, Dennis Lillee would not be averse to providing council to Shoaib if contacted in person or through their boards – it should not be problem to correct any dubious aspects of Shoaib's bowling action.

After all, the man is precious, very precious for Pakistan cricket and even for international cricket due to his approach and charisma, and it is the Board's responsibility to provide him assistance in this time of need. The Rawalpindi Express can certainly steam on and one can ask the fair question: which train has always reached its `station' without a mishap or two?

© CricInfo