PCB chief selector asks Shoaib to prove fitness ahead of Twenty20 World Cup

Lahore, Mar. 17 (ANI): PCB's chief selector Abdul Qadir has asked pacer Shoaib Akhtar to prove his fitness if he wants to participate in the World Twenty20 Championship in England.

The 2009 World Twenty20 Championship will be held in England in June. The PCB is going to select its preliminary squad by the end of this month, The Nation reports.

Qadir said a 'fully-fit' Shoaib would prove to be a huge asset for Pakistan, and hence, will certainly be considered for the team going to participate in the prestigious tournament.

Due to poor performance in ODIs against Sri Lanka, Shoaib was ignored for the Test series against Lankans, and also left out from the upcoming Bangladesh tour.

The 33-year-old Shoaib is keen to participate in the T20 championship, as he had missed the inaugural World Twenty20 Championship held in South Africa despite initially being a part of the Pakistan squad.

After a dressing room fight with fellow pacer Mohammad Asif Shoaib, Shoaib was sent back home just before the start of the event. Pakistan managed to reach the finals, but lost it to India by five runs. (ANI)