Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will have to go to court after teammates reacted angrily to his claims he had no-one in the Pakistan team to back him up.
The 27-year old told Britain’s Guardian newspaper: ”Imagine if I was playing for Australia with Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie softening them up, then I come on, I’d have got more wickets than anyone ever, mate.
”Because when I play for Pakistan, with Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis they are in decline. They were great but they’re not match-winning bowlers any more. So I have to make it all happen on my own.”
A Lahore court issued a summons after an unnamed petitioner claimed Akhtar’s remarks were an affront to Pakistan’s national pride.
Akhtar is unlikely to appear at the first hearing on July 27 as he is currently playing for Durham in England. He will also skip Pakistan’s home series against Bangladesh next month before returning home late September.
Akhtar was told to mind his behaviour by cricket chief Tauqir Zia before Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka two months ago.
Despite that, Akhtar was suspended for two matches on charges of ball tampering during a tri-series in Sri Lanka. Since then he has kept a low profile. – Sapa-AFP