KARACHI — Pakistan cricket authorities Tuesday said they will allow banned former captain Shoaib Malik to feature in a Twenty20 tournament in England next month.
Malik who is serving a one-year ban imposed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over discipline issues, has signed to play in a Twenty20 tournament for Lancashire county next month.
PCB chief operating officer Wasim Bari said Malik had been granted permission.
"We have cleared Malik to play in England as it doesn't conflict with Pakistan duty and currently Malik is also banned," Bari told AFP.
Malik is among seven top Pakistani players who were banned and fined by the PCB on the recommendation of an evaluation committee, set up to look into the team's on and off-field problems during a tour of Australia between December and February.
The committee, which also investigated discipline problems in the team on the preceding tours of the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand, held a month-long inquiry before recommending fines and bans.
Pakistan lost all three Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 match on the Australia tour, which was also marred by disciplinary problems.
Malik along with all-rounder Rana Naved-ul-Hasan was banned for one year and fined two million rupees (24,000 dollars). Two other former captains, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, were banned for an indefinite period, while Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal were heavily fined.
The banned players were allowed to feature in domestic events in Pakistan and other countries.
A one-man tribunal comprising a retired high court judge is hearing appeals by the players. The next hearing is set for May 15.
Malik, who recently married Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, said he was delighted by the Lancashire opportunity.
"When Lancashire approached me to come and play for them I didn't hesitate in saying yes. I love playing cricket in England and the opportunity to play with a club of Lancashire's reputation was too good to pass up," Malik was quoted as saying by British newspapers
No comments:
Post a Comment