Steve Waugh has had minor surgery on his left ankle, to repair an injury caused by the impingement of one bone on the outgrowth of another. The discomfort in Waugh's ankle has increased in recent months during an intensive training program.

But Waugh, who turns 37 on June 2, said he expected to be back in training in two weeks, and hoped to be fully recovered in six weeks.

"The experts have told me that I will have fully recovered from the minor surgery in six weeks, which gives me plenty of time to prepare for the tour of Pakistan," said Waugh in a statement. "While nobody likes having surgery, it's in my best long-term interests to get the problem fixed now, so I can use my time off to fully recover.

"Bowling is part of my renewed focus in limited-overs cricket, so repairing the ankle and reaching peak physical fitness will certainly help my efforts with the ball."

Waugh will be placed on a rehabilitation program after the stitches are removed from his ankle.

Australia is due in Pakistan in August for a one-day tri-series and again in September and October for a Test series.

The trips, however, may not go ahead after a group of players, including Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, ruled themselves out after a suicide bomb-blast in Karachi on May 8 killed 14 people, 11 of them French naval officials.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd