Paceman Akhtar in doubt for domestic duties
September 17, 2008 00:00:00
ISLAMABAD, Sept 16 (AP): Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar should not compete in next month's domestic Twenty20 tournament unless he pays a pending 7 million Pakistan rupee (US$91,539) fine, the Pakistan Cricket Board's legal adviser said Tuesday.
"Akhtar has to pay the fine or obtain a stay order against the financial penalty, otherwise he can't play in Pakistan or for Pakistan," lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi told The Associated Press.
In April, Akhtar was fined and handed a five-year ban by a PCB tribunal for a disciplinary breach after he criticised the Pakistan selectors. A Lahore court suspended the ban on July 4, but did not give any ruling against the financial penalty.
Akhtar was originally omitted from all of the 13 teams contesting the Oct.4-8 national Twenty20 tournament, but his name was subsequently added to the Islamabad Leopards lineup.
"I had signed the final team of 16-men and Shoaib Akhtar's name was very much in the team," Shakil Shaikh, president of the Islamabad Cricket Association, said.