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QUEENSTOWN (New Zealand): Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar was still in doubt Monday for the second one-day cricket match against New Zealand as the groin injury suffered in practice appeared worse than first feared.

The world's fastest bowler made the elementary mistake of not wearing a guard during batting practice and was stopped in his tracks by an agonising knock from a cricket ball to the groin region last Friday.

He was walking gingerly on arrival here for Wednesday's match after the injury ruled him out of the opening encounter which New Zealand won by four wickets.

Pakistan manager Haroon Rashid said Akhtar would visit a local doctor here Tuesday for an ultrasound scan on the area. 'Once we get the doctor's opinion we will have a better idea about what to do,' Rashid said.

Akhtar was struck by a delivery from legspinner Danish Kaneria. He didn't bowl at training Monday but was able to run around with the team at warm-ups. Rashid said Akhtar had not yet been ruled out of Wednesday's match but if he were, there were plenty of pace bowling resources with Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Umar Gul, Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood.

'It's part and parcel of sporting life, but life will have to go on,' Rashid said. "You miss a key player in your side but it's not the first time he would be missing."

Akhtar missed the drawn first Test against New Zealand last month because of calf and hamstring strains but returned for the second Test to wreak havoc with a haul of 11 for 78 as Pakistan won the match and the Test series 1-0.