Shoaib Akhtar has undergone a successful knee operation in England and given a month's time for rehabilitation.

Controversial Pakistan paceman Akhtar's brother confirmed that the minor surgery on the fast bowler's left knee was supervised by Dr Andrew Williams, who also treated England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, at the Wellington hospital in London.

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"The surgery has been successful and the surgeon has said that after this operation Shoaib can play for the next two to three years without any problem with his knee which has been nagging him for the last two years," Shahid Akhtar told PTI on Sunday.

Shoaib Akhtar has undergone the operation at his own cost as the Pakistan Cricket Board refused to bear his medical expenses on the grounds that although he was centrally contracted, had not incurred the injury while on national duty.

Shahid said that Shoaib had been advised two week's of complete rest, after which he would undergo an intensive rehabilitation course.

"Shoaib is very excited that the operation has been successful and confident about returning 100 per cent fit to play in domestic matches and convince the selectors that he is fit for the Test tour of New Zealand," Shahid added.

Shoaib, one of Pakistan's most hyped up cricketers in recent years, has played just a handful of matches in the last two-and-half years due to disciplinary and fitness problems.

Akhtar was pulled out of Pakistan's Twenty20 World Cup squad in May because of a skin infection and then missed the Test tour of Sri Lanka and also Champions Trophy because of fitness issues.

The 34-year-old earlier had a knee operation in Australia in 2006.

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