MRI scan clears Akthar, muscle spasms keeps speedster out of field

Bangalore, Dec 8 (UNI) Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akthar, who complained of back pain after having a fall in a run out attempt, was cleared by an MRI scan done at a sports speciality hospital in the city today.

The MRI did not reveal any injuries but the 'Rawalpindi Express' kept himself out of the first day's play of the third and final Test here as he still had some muscle spasms.

It was a blow to Pakistan as tey were already one bowler short and the other three main bowlers -- Mohammad Sami, Yasir Arafat and Danish Kaneria -- toiled during the rest of the day.

The Indians bounce back after initial setbacks of losing their four top batsmen with just 65 runs on the board at lunch.

Akhtar fell down on the wickets while trying to run out Yuvraj Singh in the post-lunch session.

Yuvraj took off for a non existent single only to be rightly sent back by Sourav Ganguly when India were struggling at 92 for four. Yuvraj scrambled back to the non strikers end but Sami's throw from mid-off missed the stumps.

Akthar, the bowler, dived towards the stumps to collect the ball to run out Yuvraj but failed in doing both and instead fell like a heap on the three stumps.

Akthar was immediately taken to a sports speciality hospital in the city for an MRI scan.

UNI