Islamabad: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent the medical reports of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday.

The PCB also formally asked the game’s governing body to allow them to replace Shoaib and Asif with pace bowlers Mohammed Sami and Yasir Arafat in the World Cup.

Pakistan suffered a twin blow ahead of the World Cup. Along with the injured Shoaib and Asif, allrounder Abdul Razzaq was also ruled out after sustaining a knee injury during the training camp in Lahore.

In the medical report, Shoaib “complained of significant pain in the left knee and in the left hamstring muscles after bowling few overs late last month.” An MRI of Shoaib “revealed evidence of loose bodies with several pieces of cartilage within the joint ... there was some fluid within the joint as well.”

In view of above findings the medical commission advised Shoaib not to bowl unless he is re-examined by the commission in three weeks time.

According to the report, Asif had first complained of pain in his right elbow during Pakistan’s tour of England in July 2006, but after getting treatment back home he recovered. “He started feeling the same pain again during the third Test against South Africa and the pain was very severe,” the report said.

Asif has been advised to rest his right elbow for three weeks and also wear an elbow support.

Despite the reverses, captain Inzamam-ul Haq wants to add to Imran Khan’s memorable triumph 15 years ago.

“Every great player has his time, they serve their time, that’s life, that’s the way it is… So when the time comes, so be it,” Inzamam said ahead of Pakistan’s warm-up matches against Canada on Tuesday and South Africa on Friday.

Inzamam, second only to Sachin Tendulkar on the list of highest run-getters in one-day Internationals with 11,665 runs, insists he can recover the kind of form which he enjoyed on his 1992 World Cup debut.

“I am confident and I have worked hard in the nets. I am looking forward to the World Cup and I will do my best,” the Pakistan captain said.

He played down the significance of losing Shoaib, Asif and Razzaq, insisting that Mohammed Sami, Yasir Arafat and Azhar Mahmood will prove adequate replacements.

“I believe in our team and we believe in ourselves,” he added. “In ODIs, every team is tough but one man can change the outcome of a game and one good game can change the whole scenario.” (Agencies)