PCB back Akhtar's England move

THE Pakistan Cricket Board have backed Shoaib Akhtar's proposed move to England.

Akhtar has not played for Pakistan this year, but is hoping to finalise a deal with Surrey, currently bottom of the LV County Championship Division One table by 18 points with only three matches to play and are strong favourites to be one of the two teams to be relegated.

Surrey cricket manager Alan Butcher is planning to have Shoaib available in time for next week's crunch match against title-chasing Kent at Canterbury, although one potential snag is legal documentation which requires all overseas players to spend at least three weeks in England.

"We have cleared Shoaib to play county cricket and have given him a no objection certificate," said PCB chief operating officer, Shafqat Naghmi.