PCB forms committee to hear Shoaibs appeal

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formed a two-member committee to hear the appeal of fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar against a fine over misconduct.

Karachi, Aug 15 : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formed a two-member committee to hear the appeal of fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar against a fine over misconduct.

Shafqat Naghmi, PCB's Chief Operating Officer, said that former cricketers Imtiaz Ahmed and Moin Afzal, a member of the PCB ad-hoc committee would hear Shoaib's appeal.

Naghmi said the PCB expects that the committee will hear Shoaib's case, and take a decision on it within a week's time.

"We have formed a two-man committee which will have a meeting with Shoaib Akhtar within the next few days before taking a decision on his appeal," The News quoted Naghmi, as saying.

Naghmi rejected news reports that Shoaib's latest tantrums might force the PCB to drop him from Pakistan's 15-man squad for the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

"Shoaib's offence is not a major one and I can say for sure that his place in the Pakistan squad is safe whatever the outcome of the appeal," he said.

Shoaib was slapped with a hefty fine of Rs 300,000 last week after he left the national training camp in Karachi without informing team manager Talat Ali.

Later, the manager filed a complaint against Shoaib and a PCB disciplinary committee found him guilty of violating the board's code of conduct.

Shoaib, who has been fined or banned more than any other player in the Pakistan team, later said that this latest punishment was unjustified and claimed that he did inform Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik before leaving the camp.

Shoaib was banned last year along with fellow pacer Mohammad Asif after testing positive for nandrolone, a performance-enhancing steroid.

ANI