Sunday 13th July 2008
Asif likely to be cleared by PCB
Mohammad Asif is likely to be pardoned in a drug case in a move to select him in the Champions Trophy to be played in Pakistan.
According to reliable sources the top bosses of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) agree that a ban on Asif will only add to the woes of the national team that made an early exit from the STAR Cricket Asia Cup played in Pakistan from June-24-July 6.
The Shoaib Malik led team failed to qualify for the final following a poor bowling display during the tournament.
The Board has ordered a probe into the incident, but that is yet to begin as the PCB has not got the documents relating to Asif's arrest from the Dubai authorities.
A top PCB official said that if the Board failed to obtain the documents then it will have to give Asif, who claims to be innocent, the benefit of doubt.
"Our entire investigation into the Asif issue has to be based on the report over the incident. If we cannot get those documents from the Dubai authorities then we will give Asif the benefit of doubt," said
Shafqat Naghmi, PCB's Chief Operating Officer.Naghmi said that he had tried to get the report on the incident during the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual conference last week.
The PCB has already clarifief that if the report says that Asif indeed carried a banned drug then, strict action would be taken against him.
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