Quotes of the Day

No surprise that they all came from Shoaib Akhtar.

First, he explains why he didn't do what he is just doing, with just a hint of arrogance:

I kept quiet because I have a central contract and didn't want to offend the PCB, but I could have sued the Pakistan team management...I didn't want the Pakistan team to suffer because my news is published all over the world.

More arrogance:

He also said he felt shortening his run-up - as suggested by former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer - would not prolong his career. "It doesn't suit me," Akhtar said. "My run-up is my speed, previously (in cricket) nobody has bowled as fast as I have bowled."

And yet more, you guessed it, arrogance. He seems to think he is not only good enough to be in the team but that he can pick and choose which matches to play:

"I am perfectly fine now and I can play five-day matches, why not?" he said. "But it depends on which tour suits me. Had they [selectors] considered me for the Sri Lanka series only, then I could have told you whether it suited me. If they considered me for two Test matches out of three I could have considered it."