Shoaib Akhtar has revealed that Pakistan legend Imran Khan helped persuade him to play county cricket.

Former Pakistan skipper Imran played county cricket for Sussex and Worcestershire and now Shoaib is hoping to make his county bow with Hampshire after agreeing to sign a one-year contract.

He will undertake a medical later this month confident of a better result than when he failed a fitness test at Nottinghamshire three years ago.

Shoaib was diagnosed with rib-tip syndrome and his move to Trent Bridge was scuppered when it was revealed a rib was impacting on his pelvis during his bowling action.

He had returned from a tour of the West Indies with Pakistan with what was thought to be a side strain. But the signs are that he is fully fit after recording the fastest delivery of all time - 101.2 mph - before smashing 43 off 16 balls against England during the World Cup.

Shoaib, nicknamed the Rawalpindi Express, sought permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board before accepting Hampshire's offer and if all goes well he would miss only two weeks of the county season in June, when Pakistan play three one day matches.

The 27-year-old said: "Imran Khan always stressed it was good to play county cricket since it helps to polish up your game and I'm delighted to have the chance to play county cricket again after missing a season with Nottinghamshire in 2000 due to injury."