LAHORE, May 21 While fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been ruled out from the upcoming World Twenty20 Championship due to fitness problems, his place has been filled by “under-performing” medium-pace bowler Rao Iftikhar Anjum.

“The three-member panel of doctors, after examining Shoaib, suggested that the bowler needed more time to heal from his groin wound and thus he will not be available for the World Twenty20 and we have sent Rao Iftikhar's name as his replacement to the ICC Technical Committee,” Pakistan Coach Intikhab Alam told reporters after attending the team management's meeting with the panel at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

A PCB notification issued later said “Mr Shoaib Akhtar was examined today by a medical board constituted by the PCB for the purpose of clinical assessment/fitness due to his ongoing current ailment.

“The medical board consists of the following experts Professor Javed Raza Gardezi [consultant surgeon], Dr Ijaz Hussain [consultant dermatologist] and Dr Riaz Ahmed [sports physician, PCB].

“The medical board has reported that Shoaib Akhtar was suffering from genital viral warts and electrofulgration was done on May 12, 2009. They further stated that his wound, though healing, needs further care and treatment for another 10 days minimum for the purpose of healing and to achieve skin cover. The medical board further recommends reassessment after 10 days.

“Reassessment, in accordance with the above programme, will be carried out in the first week of June, 2009. In view of the above, PCB has requested the ICC Technical Committee for a replacement,” it concludes.

While Shoaib has finally been ruled out of the challenging event in England, there remains a serious question mark over the abilities of his replacement Rao Iftikhar who, since his international debut in 2004, has still not managed to prove himself as a match-winning bowler.

He played just one Twenty20 International and that too against Bangladesh, a rather weak side, where he remained wicket-less after conceding 33 runs in four overs. He only has 71 wickets in 58 ODIs with no figure of five wickets.

“Iftikhar has been selected on his performance and no one else was considered to replace Shoaib,” the head coach said when asked if they had also been considering other bowlers in place of Rawalpindi Express.

However, Intikhab was at a loss for words when Rao's unsatisfactory performance in the recently-concluded series against Australia at off-shore venues was brought up to his notice.

Iftikhar was tested in two ODIs in the series in which he remained wicketless and he was also not selected for the series' only Twenty20 match.

“Rao performed well in the conditioning camp in Bhurban so he is in the side,” said the coach, justifying the pacer's selection.

Intikhab also said that Shoaib will have to prove his match fitness and performance before finding a place in the team for future tournaments.

He said Shoaib also had to undergo a minor operation on May 12 and is still recovering from it.

Intikhab further stated that the bowler's performance in the last series against Australia had been witnessed by everyone. He could only play four ODIs out of a total of five and could not even complete his quota of 10 overs.

The World Twenty20 is scheduled to be held in England from June 5 but this will be the fourth consecutive time when Shoaib will be missing an ICC event. The first one that Shoaib was forced to miss was the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 in India when he was tested positive for banned substance nandrolone along with fellow fast bowler Mohammad Asif and was suspended for one year.

The following year he missed the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies due to fitness problems. Shoaib was sent back to Pakistan from South Africa in the inaugural edition of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 after he was embroiled in a nasty clash with Asif.

Many experts of the game feel that with Shoaib being under microscope by the world cricket authorities due to his previously chequered record as doping offender and an indisciplined player, he has been deliberately avoiding the ICC competitions where drug testing and other rules are strictly implemented.