Security: Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar to leave India before Mumbai ODI

New Delhi: Former Pakistan cricketers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar won’t be present in the commentary box in Mumbai for the fifth ODI between India and South Africa.

As a precautionary security measure, the duo will return home before the match in Mumbai.

According to a report on Cricinfo, Akram’s agent Arsalan Haider said pair would commentate on the fourth ODI in Chennai and return on October 23, two days before the Mumbai ODI.

On Monday, Shiv Sena workers stormed the Indian board’s office in Mumbai to protest against the PCB-BCCI talks.

Later in the day, ICC withdrew umpire Aleem Dar from the last two ODIs.

Meanwhile BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur had said that Dar’s presence will not be affected by any threat from any group.

“There was a possibility of a protest in Saurashtra as well. 50,000 people were supposed to turn up in Rajkot. So I am not going into any threat perception. The fact is that India will also host the T20 World Cup in 2016 and it is the responsibility of every Indian to keep our image of sportmanship alive,” Thakur said.