PCB blames it on physio

PCB blames it on physio
Press trust of india

Islamabad, April 3 : In their quest for scapegoats to take the rap for the team’s disastrous performance in New Zealand, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials and players have blamed the team’s physio for failing to properly treat injured players, especially speedster Shoaib Akhtar.

Pakistan team manager Faqir Aizazuddin, in his ‘secret report’ has taken a swipe at Dr Tauseef Razzak and blamed him for Akhtar’s fitness problems, said daily Dawn, which published excerpts from the report. However, the report has been denied by Aizazuddin who on his arrival from New Zealand yesterday claimed he had not written any such report. Despite the denial, the newspaper stood by its story, saying it had a copy of it.

According to the report, Akhtar sustained hamstring injury during the second One-day International, early last month. Dr Tauseef put a spray on the thigh that caused burns which eventually infected the skin of the player. The wound had to be treated by the team’s doctor but Akhtar played in the last One-day International without the wound having healed properly, the report alleged according to Dawn.

It said Dr Tauseef persisted with exercising the bowler even after he was advised against it by the team management. Pakistan lost the away One-day series 2-3 and drew the Test series 1-1 against New Zealand.

Dawn quoted the report as saying Dr Tauseef was duly informed once Shoaib was clinically examined and it was found that he had a muscle strain that was more than grade I (rectus femoris). “Shoaib was advised proper rest and treatment that included therapy, rehabilitation and functional exercises were recommended to return to fitness which required at least three-four weeks.”However despite this, Shoaib was allowed to run and exercise by the doctor, the report said.

Shoaib finally returned home after umpires filed a complaint about his bowling action. Later he was sent to Australia for a proper evaluation of his bowling action. Interestingly the alleged manager’s report also provides a graphic description of the injuries suffered by most of the Pakistan cricketers during the just concluded tour.

According to the report, all rounder Azhar Mahmood suffered from disproportionate structure of his body. He feels “his upper torso had developed more than the lower limbs and he had put on weight that caused extra pressure on the right groin. Since his left ankle was weak, his back was stiff; and during the foot landing he pushed more weight to his right groin according to phenomenon of compensation,” Dawn quoted the report as saying.

About batsman Yusuf Youhana’s injury, the report said “he is stiff and his quadriceps/hamstrings are weak though with gradual training he will improve.” The report says off spinner Saqlain Mushtaq’s knees have gone while his fellow off spinner Arshad Khan had muscular imbalance in the shoulder. Medium pacer Mohammad Sami’s left paravertebral muscles of the back were stronger than the right, it stated .