Miandad says Pakistan must forget about Shoaib and Asif

KARACHI, Feb 28 (Reuters) Former captain Javed Miandad has told Pakistan to stop waiting for Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif and go into next month's World Cup without the two pace bowlers.

''With so much uncertainty over their availability, I think it is best Pakistan forgot about them and devised a new strategy with more spinners,'' Miandad told Reuters today.

''Why waste time on something which is not available?''.

Shoaib and Asif are receiving treatment in London for their knee and elbow injuries and will not be leaving for the Caribbean tomorrow with the rest of the squad.

The pair have also yet to take the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) official doping tests, said media manager Pervez Mir.

Shoaib and Asif tested positive last October for the banned substance nandrolone but a PCB appeals panel cleared them of a doping offence and set aside their bans in December.

Pakistan have also yet to receive permission from the World Cup technical committee to replace injured all rounder Abdul Razzaq with Azhar Mahmood.

A veteran of six World Cups, Miandad said Pakistan would fare better in the competition with two specialist spinners.

''They have leg spinner Danish Kaneria in the side and they should also include left-armer Abdul Rehman,'' he said.

''They can be threatening on slow West Indian pitches.'' Rehman played recently in South Africa but has not been picked in the 15-man World Cup squad.

Pakistan will be in Group D with hosts West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland.

REUTERS PDS PM1920