Shoaib appeared before medical panel on Wednesday

Islamabad: Amid media speculation that he may be suspended for several months for ‘faking’ an injury to avoid bowling against India, Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday appeared before a medical inquiry commission, dismissing the charges as “crap”.

Just back from a commercial shoot with Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai, the Rawalpindi Express appeared before the four-member commission in Lahore and underwent medical tests which are expected to determine the nature of injuries that prevented him from bowling on the third day of the third Test against India in Rawalpindi on April 15.

Allrounder Abdul Razzaq and wicketkeeper Moin Khan also appeared before the commission which is probing into the spate of injuries Pakistan suffered during the recent series against India.

PCB spokesman Sami-ul Hassan said that the committee of medical specialists examined the three players and fixed a rehabilitation regime. “It is a long procedure which could take hours.”

The Pakistan media quoted Shoaib as saying that “my wrist was also injured but the bigger problem was a torn ligament in the lower back.”

He said it was “crap” to say that he deliberately did not bowl on the third day. “People are just trying to pass on the blame. I’ll give my side to the PCB chairman and to the panel.”

If found guilty, Shoaib could face a ban and a fine.

After his arrival Shoaib met his trainer, Dr Tauseef Razzaq, who quit his job as physio of the team after the second Test at Lahore.

Dr Razzaq told the media after examining the speedster that Shoaib was being made a scapegoat for the failure of the team.

“The PCB needs a scapegoat for the loss. Earlier it was I and now it is Shoaib. He called me the day he fell in Rawalpindi. I advised him to stay on till the end of the Test but asked him not to bowl,” Dr Razzaq said.

“Finding scapegoats is the only reason for the PCB probe. How can a panel decide if a player is in pain or not. There is nothing like a ‘painometer’. If someone is in pain, he is in pain. Moreover, scans on Shoaib’s back show that he has a torn ligament. In fact, he was supposed to play for Durham but has postponed that due to this injury,” he said.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan had recently said that an MRI scan revealed there was no serious injury to Shoaib which forced PCB to evaluate the bowler’s injury through a medical commission.

Meanwhile, Shoaib’s elder brother Shahid Akhtar said Shoaib had his rib fractured while playing against India in the third Test.

“My brother appeared before the PCB medical commission and his X-rays proved that his 11th rib was fractured,” Shahid said on Wednesday.

Former cricket legend Imran Khan this week blasted the PCB decision and termed the inquiry as a “mockery of Pakistan cricket”.

“As an obedient servant of Pakistan cricket, Shoaib appeared before the commission and now that X-rays proved he was injured, he hopes to continue playing for Pakistan,” Shahid added.