Wasim Akram has left Hampshire with immediate effect - because of his poor health.

Pakistan legend Wasim, 37, was expected to play his sixth championship game for Hampshire against Glamorgan this morning until Paul Terry broke the shock news to his players at the Rose Bowl yesterday.

Wasim, who signed a one year contract at the start of the season, has struggled with health problems since his move to the south coast and has been advised to retire by his doctors.

Last year he revealed that he is a diabetic as a direct result of the stress caused by match fixing allegations against him.

Wasim has had to have insulin injections before and after every game he has played this season but, in May, it was a bout of tonsillitis that forced him to pull out of the championship match against Somerset on the morning of the first day's play.

He has been suffering with a fever recently and, in the last home game against Gloucestershire, he suffered a bruised toe that ruled him out of the last championship match at Northampton.

Now he has left midway through an already miserable season for Hampshire, who were second from bottom of when play began this morning.

Hampshire captain John Crawley, a teammate of Wasim's for the best part of a decade at Lancashire, said:

"It's obviously a real shame for everyone involved.

"With any job there are stresses. Was thought about it long and hard but, at the end of the day, your family and your own health are more important than your career."

Wasim, the only player to have taken more than 900 international wickets, leaves Hampshire as the club's leading wicket taker in all cricket this season.

Crawley added: "We've seen glimpses of what Was is capable of, he hasn't been as consistent as he would have liked but whenever he got out there he tried his heart out. We are very appreciative of his efforts and we wish him well."

Director of cricket Tim Tremlett said: "Wasim proved to be a very valuable and popular member of the team and we're very sad to be losing him."

Managing director Nick Pike said: "I'm very disappointed that Wasim is leaving the club but thank him for the help and the guidance that he has given our younger players. We respect his decision and wish him a speedy recovery."

Chairman Rod Bransgrove is in Spain on business and manager Paul Terry was unavailable for comment but a club statement added: 'Wasim Akram has expressed his thanks to the club, his teammates and the supporters for making his short stay with Hampshire an extremely enjoyable and memorable one. He wishes the club and his teammates every success and hopes to return to support Hampshire Cricket in the future.'

Wasim had not played first class cricket for 18 months before joining Hampshire as a replacement for Shane Warne in a deal believed to be worth around £100,000.

His international career ended with the World Cup but the Pakistan Cricket Board have offered him the chance to bow out in style later this year.

Meanwhile, Hampshire Cricket are now in the process of trying to find a replacement overseas player.

Crawley added: "The club and the powers that be are certainly going to strengthen the squad, Paul Terry and Tim Tremlett are working on that but at this stage in the season it could be difficult, we have to move pretty quickly."