Bowler threatened with Champions Trophy expulsion
PAKISTAN bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s return to the international team is in jeopardy after he was told he must pay the fine imposed on him when his five year ban was reduced to 18 months or risk being de-selected.
The 32-year-old was a surprise inclusion in the Pakistan team named for the Champions Trophy which is expected to be held in Pakistan next month.
But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said he would only be allowed to join up with his team mates when a fine of £86,000 was paid.
The fine was imposed when Akhtar successfully appealed against a five-year ban imposed for publicly criticising the PCB.
The ban was reduced to 18 months by a tribunal who also added the fine.
But when a Lahore High Court suspended the 18 month ban after Shoaib complained against it, it did not pass any order on the fine.
Tafazzul Rizvi, a PCB lawyer, confirmed that Shoaib had been served a legal notice to pay the fine, failing which he would be dropped from the squad. “We have asked him to pay the fine or it would not be possible for us to retain him in Champions Trophy squad,” Rizvi told PTI.
