Shoaib Akhtar improves; Misbah, Malik too recovering fast

KOLKATA: Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar who was admitted to a local private hospital with a chest infection is feeling better, the team management said on Wednesday.

"He is better," media manager Ehsan Malik said.

Malik said the attending doctor would reassess Shoaib's condition at 4 pm and then take a decision on whether to release him.

Malik refused to give any more details.

Akhtar was admitted to the Maharaja suite of the Apollo Gleneagles hospital with fever on Tuesday and put on injectible anti-biotics and intravenous fluids.

Malik said Pakistan middle order bat Misbah-ul-Haq, who had developed a viral infection during the opening Test in Delhi, was also improving fast.

"He is almost okay," Malik said.

Skipper Shoaib Malik, who had an ankle sprain, is also recovering and the Pakistan team management was hopeful that he would be available for the Test match.

Pakistan can also take heart from the fact that seamer Umar Gul is also recovering fast.