Sami could miss decider

Sami has played with the injury all series

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Sami has added to his side's injury woes ahead of the deciding Test against India.

Sami is struggling with a back injury and may be forced to miss the game, which starts in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

Pakistan are already without seam bowler Umar Gul, Shabbir Ahmed, Abdul Razzaq and Moin Khan.

Coach Javed Miandad said: "Though he's braved it so far, he's in more pain.He's getting treatment and there is still time before the match."

I've confidence in the ability of our back-up bowlers to give the Indians a hard time Javed Miandad

It would leave Shoaib Akhtar as the only fully-fit front-line pace bowler available for the hosts in such a crunch match, with the series delicately poised on 1-1.

Fazl-e-Akbar, Rao Iftikhar, Abdul Rauf and Naved-ul-Hasan have been named in a 17-man squad, which will be reduced to 15 on Sunday.

Only Akbar has previously played Test cricket, having taken 10 wickets in four appearances, the last in 2001

Hasan has featured in one-day internationals and took 3-73 against India in the first match of the recent series.

Miandad added: "I've confidence in the ability of our back-up bowlers to give the Indians a hard time.

"We believe we still have the bowling strength to bowl them out."

But the loss of Gul and potentially Sami as well is a major blow to Pakistan's chances after Gul's 5-31 in India's first innings in Lahore helped pave the way to a nine-wicket win.

Shabbir, meanwhile, has yet to recover from a shin injury and Razzaq (side strain) and Moin (groin) are also still receiving treatment.

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Pakistan squad: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Taufeeq Umar, Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Yousuf Youhana, Asim Kamal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria, Shoaib Malik, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Fazl-e-Akbar, Abdul Rauf and Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan.