Wasim is due to arrive here today on the eve of the final Test. He had originally been left out because of allegations of match-fixing and betting but a Pakistan Cricket Board inquiry failed to find evidence to substantiate the charges.

Wasim, who will be Lancashire's captain this summer, has been sent on the personal insistence of the chairman of the PCB, Khalid Mahmood. It is understood that Mahmood himself provided the ticket for Wasim to fly from England, where he has been training at Old Trafford.

Salim Altaf, the chairman of selectors, announced his resignation in protest at the decision, saying it was ``in contravention of the board's constitution.'' He argued that the chairman had no authority to pick a player over the heads of the selectors.

Wasim's arrival here did not go down well with many of the senior players. One commented: ``We do not need him,'' but refused to elaborate. It is entirely in character with the byzantine nature of Pakistan cricket that glorious victory - the 29-run win over South Africa which showed the tourists in the best possible light - should immediately be followed by internecine strife.

After Wasim led Pakistan to a 3-0 series win over West Indies at the end of last year, he was a national hero. Then followed the betting allegations, and Rashid Latif -known as 'Mr Clean' - a man with little captaincy experience, took over. Rashid then sustained a neck injury which kept him out of the first two Tests here and Aamir Sohail led Pakistan to victory in Durban this week.

The side simply do not want Wasim, who has a hard attitude towards fellow players. If South Africa were looking for a secret ingredient to win this Test, they could not have asked for more.