I will pull out of WC if Woolmer, Inzy don't apologise: Shoaib

KARACHI: Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has reportedly threatened to pull out of Pakistan's World Cup squad if captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and coach Bob Woolmer do not tender an apology for "abusing" him during his brief tour of South Africa. 

A leading Pakistani daily claimed sources close to the Rawalpindi Express as saying that Shoaib was willing to pull out of Pakistan's World Cup squad if he didn't receive an apology from the captain and the coach for what the maverick paceman described as ''insulting behaviour' on part of the duo during second Test against South Africa at Port Elizabeth last month.

According to 'The Dawn', the sources said that Shoaib was incited into exchanging hot words with Woolmer after being accused of feigning a hamstring injury when he broke down in the first innings.

Sources added that the incident was set up by Inzamam who has, apparently, held a grudge against Shoaib since the time he became Pakistan captain.

They claimed that both Woolmer and Inzamam were trying to find an excuse to send Shoaib home.

In a heated altercation, the sources claimed, Woolmer allegedly called Shoaib 'blacky' in presence of Inzamam and other players.

Shoaib was subsequently fined 2500 dollars for his outburst but the sources claim that in fact, he was slapped with a fine of 5000 dollars by team manager Talat Ali who conducted an inquiry into the incident.