Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been ruled out of next month's Asia Cup tournament by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

"We have received directives from the PCB that Shoaib should not be considered for the Asia Cup to allow him to recover from his rib-cage stress fracture injury," chief selector Wasim Bari said.

The Asia Cup is being revived in Sri Lanka from July 16 by the Asian Cricket Council after a gap of four years.

Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and two qualifiers, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates, have confirmed they will play.

Akhtar, 28, who has been playing in England for Durham, has been carrying the injury since Pakistan lost the third and final Test to India in Rawalpindi in April.

But he was in good form in a one-dayer against Derbyshire on Monday when he returned to action after missing Durham's previous two games.

Akhtar took four for 15 in nine overs, helping dismiss the visitors for 82 on the way to an easy seven-wicket success.

Bari said that the other Pakistan players appearing in county cricket had all been advised to report for a training camp from June 20 in Lahore.