'Pakistan still good without Shoaib and Asif' - Woolmer

Bob Woolmer, Pakistan's coach, said he has faith in his side's World Cup chances even if his strike bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, have to sit out the tournament. Shoaib and Asif are nursing injuries and there is speculation that they may not pass a dope test next week.

The duo, though, turned up for the training camp today and are expected to make a trip to England in the next few days, to get a scan of their injuries.

"Shoaib and Asif are our main strike bowlers and it would be a big blow for us if they don't play," he told The News. "But it isn't right to say that we are incapable of doing well without them. Pakistan has done well and won matches in the past when Shoaib couldn't play due to injury or other reasons and when Asif had not even started his international career."

Both fast bowlers tested positive for banned anabolic steroid nandrolone last October and may still be carrying traces of the performance enhancing substance. They have avoided undergoing dope tests being conducted by the Pakistan board as a precautionary measure.

Woolmer maintained Pakistan were still a competitive side in the absence of the duo, and stressed on the role of the batsmen: "We are not a bad side even if you take Shoaib and Asif out of the equation. Ours will still be a good side, capable of delivering good results. One of the best ways to win (one-day games) is to score runs," he said. "We have a good batting order and I believe there are bowlers in the team capable of defending any decent score".

"I believe fitness and injuries are two different issues. Speaking of my team, the fitness aspect is fine but there are some injury problems," he added. "Umar Gul looks fine, Asif seems okay. It's just Shoaib."

Shoaib, 31, said he hoped to be fit for the World Cup despite struggling to recover from knee and hamstring problems."I am going for another reassessment of my knee and hamstring injury in England later this week and only after that I am able to know about my chances of playing in the World Cup," he told AFP.

Asked when he was due to appear for testing, Shoaib refused to comment and said his first priority was to get over his injury: "Right now I want my injury to heal and only after that I am going to think about anything else".