KARACHI, Nov 17: Pakistan’s champion wicket-keeper/batsman Rashid Latif hasbeen given a green signal to resume playing, quashing fears that hiscricketing career was over

Khalid H Khan18-Nov-2002KARACHI, Nov 17: Pakistan’s champion wicket-keeper/batsman Rashid Latif hasbeen given a green signal to resume playing, quashing fears that hiscricketing career was over.Rashid was forced out of the current Test series last week in Zimbabwe withrecurrence of an old neck problem.The 34-year-old stalwart told that doctors in South Africa gave him the ‘go ahead’ to return to active cricket within a week after extensive physiotherapy considerably eased the discomfort in his neck and leftshoulder.”I am going to Lahore on Tuesday where PCB’s panel of doctors will examineme whether I can rejoin the Pakistan team at the earliest,” Rashid said. “Ihad already faxed the reports of the South African specialists to the PCB.”Rashid, who returned home Saturday night, was sent to Johannesburg (SouthAfrica) on the recommendation of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s chairman, LtGen Tauqir Zia, for a thorough check up by specialists.”The doctors in South Africa have told me that I can join the team inZimbabwe by the 23rd of this month for the one-day series,” Rashid said.PCB took a timely decision to contact the United Cricket Board of SouthAfrica and arranged for appointments with specialists in Johannesburg andPretoria.The South African specialists, Dr Carl S van Heerden (a neurosurgeon) andDr Thys de Beer, an expert in shoulder injuries, after conducting three daysof comprehensive tests, which included scans and related examinations cameto the conclusion that there is nothing seriously wrong with Rashid.Cricket circles here were anxious when initial reports from Harare indicatedthat Rashid’s playing career was threatened by a neck problem that couldhave paralysed the former Pakistan skipper for ever.Rashid, a salient part of Pakistan side since his comeback after athree-year hiatus in April 2001 when he was kept out by his arch rival MoinKhan, vehemently denied that he was injured before the team left forZimbabwe.”Actually the problem arose when I had nets in cold and rainy conditions inHarare. I felt a sudden numbness in my left shoulder. “Then I realised thatsomething was seriously wrong here and that I shouldn’t play until I feltfine. At first I was told my injury was a career threatening one,” Rashidexplained.On instructions of Pakistan coach Richard Pybus and physiotherapist DennisWaight, an initial diagnosis indicated the cervical nerves in Rashid’s neckwere affecting his left shoulder.”I could risk permanently paralysing my left shoulder if I continued playingand it left me worried which is why I opted to pull out of the Zimbabwetour,” a worried Rashid said.Rashid also appeared as a guest player in a Ramazan cricket tournament atUBL Sports Complex Sunday.”I just wanted to check for myself how I felt. Thank God, I did not feel anyproblem at all despite the fact I did some running in the field,” Rashidnoted with satisfaction.Rashid sounded optimistic as regards his rejoining the Pakistan squad afterPCB’s panel of doctors, Tauseef Razzaq, Meesaq Rizvi and Sohail Saleem,examine him on Tuesday.”I am extremely hopeful of rejoining my team-mates for the one-day series inZimbabwe and South Africa. If not, then my target would be the Tests inSouth Africa,” he hoped.Rashid further more praised Kamran Akmal, his understudy who is playing inZimbabwe Tests. “Kamran is a fast learner and is capable of improvingfurther. I see a bright future for this kid.”Rashid, who has played in 34 Tests and 140 One-day Internationals since hisdebut in 1992, expressed the hope that he will play in the World Cup earlynext year. “I want to play in the World Cup in South Africa and hopefullyPakistan will do very well there.”Rashid was on the sidelines during the last World Cup in England three yearsago, having played in the unsuccessful campaign in 1996, hosted jointly byPakistan, India and Sri Lanka.Pakistan lost a tense quarterfinal to old rivals India in Bangalore by 39runs with Rashid hitting two sixes in a run-a-ball innings of 26 before hewas stumped by Nayan Mongia off slow left-armer Venkatapathy Raju.