Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been ruled out of the World Twenty20 due to a skin infection in his groin, a Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman said on Thursday."The medical panel of the board has examined Shoaib and he has been advised 10-12 days rest for a skin infection," the spokesman said.
"The medical panel will re-examine him in the first week of June. In the meantime the team management has requested a replacement," he said.
Fast bowler Rao Iftikhar is likely to replace Shoaib who did not attend a week-long conditioning camp held in Bhurban, a hill resort near Islamabad, last week.
"Shoaib is not fit so it was useless waiting for him to recover just before the tournament," Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam told reporters in Lahore.
"He has not trained or bowled for the last two weeks so it would have been risky taking him to the World Cup and I think Rao Iftikhar is a suitable replacement," he added.
Shoaib, 33, has played just six one-day internationals and a Twenty20 game since December 2007 because of fitness and disciplinary issues.
Pakistan are drawn in Group B of the 12-team World Twenty20 and open their campaign against hosts England on June 7.
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