Shoaib, Kamal keep off ground

Pakistan, struggling to contain the Indian batsmen in the series-deciding third Test, were hit hard by the absence of pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar.

Pakistan, struggling to contain the Indian batsmen in the series-deciding third cricket Test, were hit hard by the absence of pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar who is suffering from a thumb injury as well as a twitch in the back.

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Shoaib's misery has been caused by a fall he had yesterday on his follow-through in the post-tea session after he had removed the cream of the Indian batting by dismissing Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. He had dismissed Virender Sehwag off his first ball on the opening day of the match.

The pace spearhead had X-rays done on his injured left thumb and fortunately for Pakistan there was no fracture.

Shoaib, who missed the action for the greater part of the post-tea session yesterday, confined himself to the dressing room in the first session on day three today.

Batsman Asim Kamal, who was hit on the arm by Sourav Ganguly's pull shot yesterday and taken to hospital for an x-ray, also escaped a serious injury and is suffering from a sore elbow.