Akhtar exonerated from indiscipline

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KARACHI, Aug 24 (AFP): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Friday cleared maverick paceman Shoaib Akhtar of indiscipline and suspended a 5,000-dollar fine, while warning him to stay out of trouble for six weeks.
The fast bowler had been fined 100,000 rupees (1,650 US dollars) for leaving a training camp in Karachi earlier this month without informing manager Talat Ali, and 200,000 rupees for snubbing a subsequent hearing.
Ali said that after a fresh inquiry ordered earlier this week the paceman had been cleared.
"Akhtar has been exonerated after a warning as he explained that the entire incident was the result of miscommunication," said Ali.
Akhtar had appealed against the fine on the grounds that he was not given advance notice of the hearing, having only been told after the fine was imposed, PCB officials said.
The 32-year-old fast bowler also pleaded that he had told captain Shoaib Malik that he was leaving the camp. Malik agreed but said he had informed the paceman to also tell Ali, they said.
"Ali conducted the fresh inquiry after which it has been decided to suspend the fine for the next six weeks and in case of another breach the bowler will be fined 100,000 rupees," PCB spokesman Ahsan Malik told the AFP.
An appellate committee had Monday ordered a fresh inquiry into the alleged breach of discipline by the bowler.
Akhtar, also involved in a doping scandal last year, is gearing up to play his part in Pakistan's campaign in next month's inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.