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Shoaib Akhtar failed in the first hurdle on his comeback bid when he did not board the flight with the rest of the Pakistan team members for London on a demanding 54-day England tour.

Dubbed as the "Rawalpindi Express", the 25-year-old showed immediate signs that his controversial and perennial injury-prone career was heading for troubled waters as he stayed back because of stomach upset which caused dehydration.

Although the excuse looks flimsy, far from any logic and sense, at least that's what the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.

In all probability, the 15-Test high-profile player but so far an under achiever will miss the three-day tour-opener against the British Universities at Nottingham starting Friday. The first Test at Lord's is scheduled from May 17.

The PCB officials didn't confirm when the injury-prone bowler would join the team, but admitted that he would undergo a series of tests.

"They are routine medical tests. We are sure that there is nothing series, but it's just a precautionary measure," an official of the PCB said.

The PCB official hand-out later said Shoaib would also be required to undergo fitness tests.

"He underwent fitness test on May 1. He could not appear earlier on account of stomach ailment from which he has not recovered fully.

"He will join the team, after getting fully fit," the statement said, without elaborating what would happen if he failed fitness and medical tests.

The PCB official said Shoaib was down with stomach disorder ever since he returned from Australia last month.

The enigmatic Shoaib has not appeared in a competitive match since the Dunedin one-dayer against New Zealand where he hobbled off the ground with a hamstring injury.

The 'Rawalpindi Express' had also failed to complete last year's tour to the West Indies while his last first-class match was 15 months ago when he played for Pakistan in the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka at Karachi.

Shoaib, whose 45 wickets have cost over 35 runs each, has been the blued-eyed boy ever since the present establishment took control of cricket affairs in November 1999.

The present establishment have not only done extra favours, they are also accused of discrimination when taking care of another "ordinary' all rounder Azhar Mahmood.

While Shoaib was treated in Australia and England, Azhar remained under the consultation of local specialists. The PCB provided Shoaib accommodation in a five-star hotel in Lahore while Azhar was lodged in a two-star facility.

So much so, when the PCB received a telephone bill of Rs 500,000 incurred by Shoaib Akhtar, no eye-brows were raised and the dues were cleared immediately. Ironically, most of the current and former cricketers are still awaiting clearance of their dues.

Needless to say the PCB has spent something around rupees five million on Shoaib and even hired exclusively a bowling consultant to defend his bowling action.

Squad:Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Saeed Anwar, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Wasim, Salim Elahi, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Faisal Iqbal, Rashid Latif (wicketkeeper), Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Mohammad Sami, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmad.

Manager: Yawar Saeed

Assistant manager: Ahmad Khan

Doctor: Riaz

© Dawn