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Fast bowler defends himself after series loss

Unfair for Imran to single me out: Shoaib

Cricinfo staff

December 13, 2007

"I can't win Test matches on my own," says Shoaib Akhtar © AFP

Shoaib Akhtar has defended himself from critical comments cast by Imran Khan after Pakistan's 1-0 Test series defeat to India.

Imran, former Pakistan captain, told an Indian news channel that the result could easily have been 3-0 if their spearhead had applied himself. But Shoaib felt the absence of Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul, out with elbow and back injuries respectively, seriously hampered their chances.

"Imran Khan, who is a man and former player I admire and respect greatly, singled me out in his television analysis and said I should be disappointed with myself," he said on Bigstarcricket.com. "I realise he was being kind in saying I am a match-winner, but I can't win Test matches on my own."

Though he completed a rare full Test series, Shoaib battled fitness and injury in all three Tests, ending with nine wickets at 33.11. And there was little else to speak of in the pace department, bar replacement Yasir Arafat's five-wicket haul on debut in the final Test. Mohammad Sami, Shoaib's new-ball partner, went wicketless in the first two matches.

"When I built up pressure we weren't able to maintain that pressure on the Indian batsmen. I'm not blaming my team-mates - if Sami had been around with me, Asif and Gul the series would definitely have turned out differently. We cannot expect too much from the inexperienced guys at this level. It stands to reason that any team is going to miss players like Umar Gul and Mohammad Asif.

"Imran had players like [Abdul] Qadir and Wasim [Akram] to back him up or Sarfraz before those days."

Akhtar, however, vowed to come back stronger after the learning curve he went through during the Test series against India.

"One should not forget that it was my comeback series, I agree I am not in the peak of my fitness but I gave my best. I tried the best that I could," he told AFP. "I know where the faults are now, personally I have learnt a lot from this series.

"I want to come back strongly and prove my worth to everyone. It is not easy to regain your rhythm after not playing for so long."

© Cricinfo