Pakistan captain Inzamam ul Haq today refused to believe that fast bowler
Shoaib Akhtar could accuse him and coach Bob Woolmer of abusing
and insulting him during the recent tour of South Africa.
"I don't believe Shoaib can say such a thing. It
is utterly nonsense. I don't believe it," Inzamam said.
The Pakistan captain was reacting to a report carried
by the 'Dawn' newspaper which quoted sources close to Shoaib as saying that
the fast bowler wanted a public apology from the duo for insulting and abusing
him and also threatened to take them to court.
Inzamam said the team was keen on having Shoaib and
Asif in the team.
"We are very keen that Shoaib's knee injury is
cleared and he can play in the World Cup. He and Mohammad Asif are our
main hopes of doing well in the World Cup," Inzamam said.
Woolmer had on Friday rubbished the claims he had ever
racially abused Shoaib, who in turn said he was consulting his lawyers to take
legal action against the newspaper.
The whereabouts of Shoaib and Asif, meanwhile, remain
a mystery as they have yet to take the dope tests being conducted by the board.
But the rumour is that they have gone to London to undergo a fast track programme
through which they can rid their bodies of the traces of banned substance Nandrolone
which is said to remain in the body for up to six months since its original
intake.
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