Shoaib fitness in question

Shoaib Akhtar still has a question mark over his fitness as Pakistan prepare for their one-day international series against Australia.

Paceman may struggle to see out five-match series

Shoaib Akhtar still has a question mark over his fitness as Pakistan prepare for their one-day international series against Australia in the UAE. The 33-year-old was named in the 15-man squad for the series starting next Wednesday, after passing a strenuous fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. "Nobody can give a guarantee of fitness in international matches, but I have come into the side after passing a fitness test," he said. However, there remain question marks over his fitness and ability to last the whole series after playing in just two one-dayers since November 2007. Shoaib was selected for the three one-dayers against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi last year, but was injured during a practice session ahead of the first match and sat out the series. And in January, he made an another return to international cricket but he was dropped after taking just one wicket for 88 runs in two limited-overs matches against Sri Lanka. He failed to complete his full quota of 10 overs in either game and was later ruled out of the Test series against Sri Lanka due to a knee injury. Dubai will host the first two games against Australia before the series moves to Abu Dhabi for the remaining three matches. The teams then return to Dubai for the only Twenty20 game on May 7.