Shoaib, Asif ruled out of World Cup
	New Delhi:The pace duo of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif have been ruled out of the World Cup due to injuries, the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Thursday. Yasir Arafat and Mohammad Sami will replace Akhtar and Asif. "On verbal reports from the doctors, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif require more time to become fit," the PCB said in a written statement. "Hence, the National Selection Committee in consultation with the Team Management has decided that Mohammad Sami and Yasir Arafat would replace Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif for the ICC World Cup 2007," the statement added. Shoaib and Asif are currently in London undergoing treatment for their injuries but there's no news yet on the scheduled dope tests that were to be conducted on the pacers. The Pakistan team on Tuesday lost the services of all-rounder Abdul Razzaq after he was ruled out due to knee injury. Shoaib and Asif had tested positive for banned substances ahead of the Champions Trophy in October 2006. However, sources in the PCB indicated that the withdrawal of the two bowlers had more to do with their having failed private dope tests in London than anything else. "I think the Pakistan board's decision to drop them from the squad today has been taken in light of a statement made by the International Cricket Council chief executive, Malcolm Speed that both bowlers could face dope tests as soon as they arrive in the West Indies," one well-informed source said. He said Speed had also conveyed clearly that no replacement would be allowed for any player sent home from the World Cup for testing positive. PCB denies speculations PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf, however, rejected the speculations of the secret dope tests as propaganda against Pakistan. Ashraf also said that the injuries would take two weeks to heal and had they pushed Akhtar and Asif into service immediately, it might have threatened their careers. PCB World Cup spokesman Pervez Mir issued a similar denial, adding that for the Board it was now a closed chapter. Both pacers are currently in London seeking medical opinion on their respective injuries. Woolmer, Inzamam unperturbed Meanwhile, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer and skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq have both played down the absence of the two pacers. "All the boys will try to perform to the best of their potential. At times injuries do happen but we shall try to put up our best show with the resources we already have," Inzamam said before the team's departure to the Caribbean. Woolmer said that the team had been managing good results without the two men over the last two years. "It is a big blow and I feel sorry for both these players. They are missing a mega event," Woolmer said. "But last year we did well without Shoaib in Sri Lanka and the year before in India without either of the two bowlers," he added. "I want to remind the players of those two series and of playing with the same unity and spirit we showed on those tours. If we can replicate that, we can still do well." Woolmer said at least the team now knew where they stood and who were the players available with them. Speaking exclusively to NDTV, former Pakistan captain Imran Khan also seems to have endorsed the speculation of a dope cloud over Akhtar and Asif. (With PTI inputs)